Tom Brady is the most successful underdog, yet he is the most hated player ever

We love underdog stories in the NFL and we should. Being an underdog is not only a great story it is usually someone that everyone roots for.  Tom Brady’s story is a little different, because he turned the underdog role into an overachiever role.  On the surface, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is not an underdog. He has won the Super Bowl 6 times putting him at legend status in the NFL.  He is not young anymore and he is still playing at a higher level than many. Brady though is an ultimate underdog if you look at his story.

Brady did not have piles of scholarships waiting for him as a senior at Junipero Sierra High school, he did not have to leave college early at Michigan because teams were knocking on his door, and he sure as hell was not considered for the rookie of the year award in 2000. 

Tom Brady went to the East/west Shrine Game, had a decent showing, then was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine, where he looked like an unfit Dad working out with NFL athletes. I love to dig into Brady’s past because it was not that of great success.Brady went 6-4 as a starter for the Sierra Padres in High School, and many of Brady’s family thought he would have a better career in baseball, where he was projected as a second round draft pick. Brady though had a passion for the pigskin.

He committed to the University of Michigan where his career was not very bright. Brady was sixth on the depth chart his Freshman year behind guys like Brian Griese who led the Wolverines to a Championship as a Sophomore.

Brady finally was given the key to the car in 1998, to eventually have the keys taken away from him. Brady would start the first quarter, and then was replaced in the second quarter by his head coach Lloyd Carr who would then decide whether Brady or Drew Henson would start the second half. Brady could have quit, he could have demanded a transfer, but no Brady just kept grinding.

Tom Brady was projected to go as high as the third round, but he lasted until the 199th pick of the draft. The Patriots drafted him to sit behind John Friesz and Michael Bishop as the fourth quarterback on the roster. Drew Bledsoe was the starter for the Patriots at that time. In 2000, John Friesz retired opening the door for Brady on the roster. Bishop lost out to Tom Brady and Brady remained the back up to Drew Bledsoe.

In the second game of the 2000 season, Drew Bledsoe went down with an injury and the Patriots turned to the underdog himself. The rest is history folks. I know you may not like Tom Brady or the Patriots, but you have to love the underdog story.

The man was not supposed to make it to the NFL or be successful according to how his career played out. The only thing that mattered though was in Tom Brady’s mind he was going to be a legend.

Tom Brady has inspired many and will continue to do so. Harry Kane the best soccer player in the world loves Tom Brady and his underdog story. Many other youth will try to overcome the underdog role as well, but no one will ever embrace it the way Tom Brady did. You can hate him, call him a cheater, and be made he wins all the time, but you cannot deny his excellence. Six Super Bowl rings speak for themselves.