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Kevin Faulk

Kevin Faulk during a game against the Bills in 2008.
No. --     Free Agent
Running back
Personal information
Date of birth: (1976-06-05) June 5, 1976 (age 36)
Place of birth: Carencro, Louisiana
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Weight: 202 lb (92 kg)
Career information
College: LSU
NFL Draft: 1999 / Round: 2 / Pick: 46
Debuted in 1999 for the New England Patriots
Career history
New England Patriots (1999–2012)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
3× Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) New England Patriots All-2000s Team New England Patriots 50th Anniversary Team
Career NFL statistics as of Week 15, 2011
Rushing yards 3,607 Rushing average 4.2 Rushing touchdowns 16 Receptions 431 Receiving yards 3,701 Receiving touchdowns 15 Stats at NFL.com

Kevin Troy Faulk (born June 5, 1976 in Carencro, Louisiana) is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at LSU.

As of 2010, Faulk is the longest-tenured current member of the Patriots, having played eleven seasons with the team. He is a distant relative^[1] of former NFL running back Marshall Faulk.^[2]

Early years[link]

Faulk attended Carencro High School in Carencro, Louisiana, where he helped his team win the 1992 State Championship (Class 5A). In high school, Faulk rushed for 4,877 yards on 603 carries (8.1 yards per carry). He also had 7,612 all-purpose yards and 89 touchdowns. He was twice chosen as Louisiana's Most Valuable Player (Class 5A). He was also given All-American Honors by USA Today and Parade.

College career[link]

Following high school, Faulk attended Louisiana State University, where he immediately became the starting running back for LSU's football team as a true freshman in 1995. In 1996, Faulk was voted to the College Football All-America Team by the Associated Press. Faulk ran for 1,144 yards on 205 carries in 1997, scoring 15 touchdowns. He improved on those numbers as a senior in 1998 when he ran for 1,279 yards on 229 carries and scored 12 rushing touchdowns. He added 287 yards receiving and three receiving touchdowns.

Faulk finished his LSU career with 4,557 yards rushing in 41 games, which was second best in SEC history behind the legendary Herschel Walker of Georgia (5,259 yards in 34 games). Faulk also finished his career with 6,833 career all-purpose yards and 53 total touchdowns, which tied him for fifth in NCAA history and first in SEC history. His SEC record was surpassed on November 21, 2009 by Tim Tebow of Florida.

Collegiate records[link]

Faulk holds the following school records at LSU:

LSU career all-purpose records[link]

• Most career all-purpose yards (6,833)

LSU career scoring records[link]

• 2nd most points scored in a career (318 points)

LSU career rushing records[link]

• Most career rushing yards (4,557 yards)
• Best career yard-per-rush average (5.32 yards per rush)
• Best career yard-per-game average (111.2 yards per game)
• Most career rushing touchdowns (46)
• Most career 100-yard-rushing games (22)
• Most career 200-yard-rushing games (4)
• Most career 1,000-yard seasons (3)

Faulk was also one of the best kick returners in LSU's history with 832 yards and 2 touchdowns on punt returns and 884 yards and 1 touchdown on kickoff returns.

Pre-Draft[link]

He attended the 1999 NFL Combine. There he measured in at 5'8" and weighed 205 pounds. He ran the 40 yard dash in 4.57 seconds, had a 34" vertical jump, 9'6" standing broad jump, ran the 20 yard shuttle in 4.09 seconds, and ran the 3 cone drill in 7.14 seconds.^[3]

Professional career[link]

1999–2000 seasons[link]

Faulk was selected by the New England Patriots in the second round (46th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Faulk started the first two games of the season at running back before an ankle injury kept him out of the next two games. He returned in Week 5 as a reserve behind starter Terry Allen. He suffered a sprained ankle in Week 14 and was placed on injured reserve on December 14, 1999. In 11 games, Faulk recorded 1,358 all-purpose yards and also returned a kickoff for 95 yards against the New York Jets on November 15. He recorded 227 rushing yards on 27 carries and one touchdown, along with 12 receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. He added 943 kickoff return yards on 39 returns, as well as 10 punt returns for 90 yards.

In 2000, Faulk shared a starting role with rookie J. R. Redmond, with Faulk starting 9 of 16 games played. He led the team with 570 yards rushing on 164 carries with four rushing touchdowns. He added 51 catches for 465 yards and one touchdown. He was also active on special teams, leading the team with 38 kickoff returns for 816 yards while also returning six punts for 58 yards.

2001–2002 seasons[link]

Faulk settled into a reserve role for the 2001 season, behind starter Antowain Smith. He played in 15 games, making one start, and finished second on the team with 169 yards rushing on 41 attempts, with one touchdown. He added 30 receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He also led the team for a third straight season with 33 kickoff returns for 662 yards, while adding four punt returns for 27 yards. On December 22 against the Miami Dolphins, Faulk completed a 23-yard pass to quarterback Tom Brady, his first career pass completion. Faulk and the Patriots would go on to win Super Bowl XXXVI over the St. Louis Rams.

In 2002, Faulk finished the regular season with 1,440 all-purpose yards in 15 games, all as a reserve behind Smith. He ran 52 times for 271 yards and two touchdowns, caught 37 passes for 379 yards and three touchdowns, returned 26 kickoffs for 725 yards and two touchdowns, and added 8 punt returns for 65 yards. His seven total touchdowns ranked second on the team.

He also finished second in the NFL in 2002 with a 27.9-yard kickoff return average. That same year, he broke the Patriots' franchise record for total kickoff return yards, which had previously been held by Dave Meggett, who had 2,561 yards on kickoff returns. Also in 2002, Faulk returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, becoming only the second player in Patriots history to return more than one kickoff for a touchdown in a season. One kickoff return was an 86-yard return against the Oakland Raiders on November 17, the other was an 87-yard kickoff return against the New York Jets on December 22. He became the only player in franchise history and the only NFL player in the 2002 season to record multiple touchdowns in three different categories: rushing, receiving, and kick returns.

2003–2004 seasons[link]

In 2003, Faulk compiled 1,351 all-purpose yards (including a team-high 1,078 yards from scrimmage) in 15 games, making eight starts in his final season with Smith. He finished the season with career highs of 178 carries for 638 yards as well as 48 receptions for 440 yards. He added 10 kickoff returns for 207 yards and 5 punts returns for 66 yards. Faulk also set a career high in fumbles in 2003, with four.

Faulk and the Patriots finished the season with a league-best 14–2 record, advancing to Super Bowl XXXVIII. Faulk helped the Patriots to a 32–29 victory in the game over the Carolina Panthers with 42 yards rushing and 19 yards receiving. His longest plays were a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter and a two-point conversion score with 2:51 left in the fourth quarter; the direct snap run was the only score by Faulk in 2003.

In 2004, Faulk played in 11 games (starting one) as a reserve behind starter Corey Dillon. He recorded 255 yards on 54 carries for two touchdowns, 26 receptions for 248 yards and one touchdown, 4 kickoff returns for 73 yards, and 20 punt returns for 133 yards. The Patriots would again post a 14–2 record and won Super Bowl XXXIX over the Philadelphia Eagles.

2005–2007 seasons[link]

Faulk played in the first three games of 2005 before suffering a foot injury and not returning until Week 13 in December. In eight games played (two starts), Faulk had 145 yards rushing on 51 carries and 29 catches for 260 yards. He also returned 4 kickoffs for 81 yards.

In 2006, Faulk returned healthy to play in 15 games, making one start. He ran 23 times for 123 yards and one touchdown, and also had 43 receptions for 356 yards and two touchdowns. He returned 17 kickoffs for 364 yards and 31 punts for 330 yards.

On November 26, 2006, in a game against the Chicago Bears, Faulk surpassed Tony Collins on the Patriots' all-time receiving list for a running back with 262nd catch.

Dillon departed after the 2006 season, leading Faulk to make 8 starts in 16 games played in 2007, alongside second-year running back Laurence Maroney. He was voted an offensive captain for the first time in his career. Faulk rushed for 265 yards on 62 attempts, and added 47 catches for 383 yards and one touchdown. He also returned 2 kickoffs for 47 yards.

2008–2011 seasons[link]

To start the 2008 season, Faulk was given a one-game suspension for violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy. He was found possessing marijuana while attending a Lil Wayne concert in Louisiana in February 2008.^[4] Faulk returned in Week 2 and played in every remaining game, making three starts to mark his tenth consecutive season with the Patriots.

He finished the 2008 season with 83 carries for 507 yards and three touchdowns, as well as a career high 58 receptions for 486 yards and three touchdowns. On special teams, he added 2 kickoff returns for 36 yards and 10 punt returns for 132 yards.

In 2009, Faulk started 7 of 15 games, rushing 62 times for 335 yards and two touchdowns, and making 37 catches for 301 yards and one touchdown. He also returned 6 kickoffs for 144 yards and returned 5 punts for 31 yards. During the season, Faulk became the team's all-time leader in all-purpose yards, amassing 12,140 yards by the end of the season. He also became the 26th running back in NFL history with at least 400 receptions.

Faulk's 2010 season ended in Week 2, when in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Jets, Faulk tore his ACL while being tackled. In two games, both starts, Faulk had eight carries for 45 yards and six catches for 62 yards. He was placed on injured reserve on September 22, 2010, ending his season.

On July 30, 2011, Faulk re-signed with the Patriots,^[5] he was placed on the "PUP" list but returned to practice after week six.^[6]

References[link]

External links[link]

• New England Patriots bio

Tom Brady

Brady in December 2007.
No. 12     New England Patriots
Quarterback
Personal information
Date of birth: (1977-08-03) August 3, 1977 (age 34)
Place of birth: San Mateo, California
Height: 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Weight: 225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school: Junípero Serra
College: Michigan
NFL Draft: 2000 / Round: 6 / Pick: 199
Debuted in 2000 for the New England Patriots
Career history
New England Patriots (2000–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
7× Pro Bowl (2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011) 2× First-team All-Pro (2007, 2010) 1× Second-team All-Pro (2005) 3× Super Bowl champion (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) 2× Super Bowl MVP (XXXVI, XXXVIII) 5× AFC Champion (2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2011) Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (2005) Sporting News Sportsman of the Year (2004, 2007) AP Male Athlete of the Year (2007) 2× AP NFL MVP (2007, 2010) 2× AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2007, 2010) 3× AFC Offensive Player of the Year (2007, 2010, 2011) NFL Comeback Player of the Year (2009) New England Patriots All-time leader (Passing touchdowns) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team List of his accomplishments
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2011
Pass attempts 5,321 Pass completions 3,397 Percentage 63.8 TD–INT 300–115 Passing yards 39,979 QB Rating 96.4 Stats at NFL.com

Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

In Brady's ten seasons as a starter, the Patriots have earned trips to the Super Bowl in half of them (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII, and XLVI), winning three of them (XXXVI, XXXVIII, and XXXIX). He has also won two Super Bowl MVP awards (XXXVI and XXXVIII), has been selected to seven Pro Bowls (and invited to eight, although he declined the 2006 invitation), and holds the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a single regular season. His career postseason record is 16–5. He also helped set the record for the longest consecutive win streak in NFL history with 21 straight wins over two seasons (2003–04),^[1] and in 2007 he led the Patriots to the first undefeated regular season since the institution of the 16-game schedule. Brady has the fourth-highest career passer rating of all time (96.4) among quarterbacks with at least 1,500 career passing attempts.

Brady and Joe Montana are the only two players in NFL history to win the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Super Bowl MVP awards multiple times (2 NFL MVPs, 2 Super Bowl MVPs). Brady and John Elway are the only two quarterbacks to lead their teams to five Super Bowls. In 2005, he was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, and was named "Sportsman of the Year" by The Sporting News in 2004 and 2007.^[2] He was also named the NFL MVP in 2007 and 2010 (becoming the first player to be unanimously chosen as MVP in the 2010 season) as well as 2007 Male Athlete of the Year by the Associated Press, the first time an NFL player has been honored since Joe Montana won in 1990.^[3]

Brady holds numerous regular season and postseason records, including: most touchdown passes in a regular season (50); highest touchdown-to-interception ratio in a single season (9:1); highest single-game completion percentage, regular season or postseason (26/28, 92.9%); most consecutive pass attempts without an interception (358); most consecutive regular-season home wins (31);^[4] highest winning percentage of any quarterback during his first 100 starts (76 wins); most completions in one Super Bowl (32); longest streak of games with 3 or more touchdown passes (10 games); and most career completions in Super Bowl history (127), most career yards in Super Bowl history (1,275), longest streak of completions in a single Super Bowl (16), most touchdown passes in a quarter (5); most touchdown passes in a half of a playoff game (5), and most touchdown passes in a playoff game (6, tied). Brady is the fourth-fastest player to reach 200 career passing touchdowns (he did so in 116 games), and the first ever to reach this mark before throwing 100 career interceptions (he had 88). He is only the sixth player to reach 300 career passing touchdowns, and his interception total at the time (115) was the lowest of anyone to reach it by a significant margin. He is the only quarterback to lead five different teams to at least 13 wins in a season and four different teams to at least 14 wins in a season. His winning percentage in the regular season (.780) is the best all-time of the Super Bowl era by a significant margin. He is the only quarterback to record two seasons with a passer rating over 110.0 and is the only quarterback to record two straight seasons with a passer rating over 105.0.

He and Bill Belichick have also combined to form one of the greatest quarterback-coach tandems in NFL history, winning 124 regular season games and 16 postseason games together, as well as appearing in five Super Bowls together, all NFL records. Considering his many achievements, and his late draft selection (6th round, 199th selection), many analysts, including those at the NFL Network, have called Brady the best NFL draft pick (or draft steal) of all time, as well as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.^[5][6][7][8] Before the 2011 season, his fellow players voted him the best player in the NFL.^[9]

Early years[link]

Brady was born near San Francisco in San Mateo, California, the son of Galynn Patricia (née Johnson) and Thomas Brady, Sr.^[10] He was raised in a Catholic family of exceptionally gifted athletes, and is of Irish and Prussian-German descent.^{[11][12][13][14]} Brady regularly attended 49ers games in the 1980s, where he became a fan of quarterback Joe Montana; since then, Brady has mentioned Montana as one of his inspirations and an idol.^[15] One of the games Brady attended was the 1981 NFC Championship, in which Montana threw The Catch to Dwight Clark, with Brady only being four-years-old at the time.^[16]

Brady graduated from Junípero Serra High School in San Mateo, California.^[17] He has three older sisters.^[18] Brady was also drafted as a catcher in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft by the Montreal Expos.^[19]

College career[link]

Brady played college football for, and graduated from, the University of Michigan.^[20][21] He was a backup his first two years, while teammate and future NFL quarterback Brian Griese led the Wolverines to a share of the national championship in 1997 in the Rose Bowl. When he enrolled at Michigan, Brady was seventh on the depth chart and had an intense struggle to get some playing time. At one point, Brady hired a sports psychologist to help him cope with frustration and anxiety and even considered transferring to Cal.^[22][23] Brady battled for the starting job with Drew Henson,^[21] ultimately starting every game in the 1998 and 1999 seasons under Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr. During his first full year as starter, he set Michigan records for most pass attempts and completions in a season (214).^[24] Brady was All-Big Ten (honorable mention) both seasons and team captain his senior year. The Wolverines won 20 of 25 games when he started and shared the Big Ten Conference title in 1998. Brady capped that season with a win over Arkansas in the Citrus Bowl.^[25] In the 1999 season, Brady led Michigan to an overtime win in the Orange Bowl over Alabama, throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns.^[21]

Professional career[link]

2000 season[link]

Brady was selected with pick #199, a compensatory pick, in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. According to Michael Holley's book Patriot Reign, the Patriots were considering Brady and Tim Rattay, both of whom had received positive reviews from then-quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein. Ultimately, the Patriots front office chose Brady. Even though the Patriots drafted a future superstar in the next to last round, the class of 2000 was a mediocre vintage for quarterbacks. Brady, Chad Pennington and Marc Bulger were the only ones to see success at the NFL level.

The Patriots made the unusual decision to carry four quarterbacks (instead of three) on the roster. Brady started the season as the fourth string quarterback, behind starter Drew Bledsoe and backups John Friesz and Michael Bishop; by season's end, he was number two on the depth chart behind Bledsoe. During his rookie season, he was 1-of-3 passing, for six yards.

2001 season[link]

The Patriots opened the season with a 23–17 loss at Cincinnati, with Bledsoe as the starting quarterback. Their second game, and home opener, on September 23, was against their AFC East rival, the New York Jets. Bledsoe was again the starter, when in the fourth quarter he suffered internal bleeding after a hit from Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. Bledsoe returned for the next series, but was replaced with Brady for the Patriots' final series of the game. New York would hold on to win, 10–3, and the Patriots fell to 0–2 on the season.^[26]

Brady was named the starter for the season's third game, against the Indianapolis Colts. In his first two games as starter, Brady posted unspectacular passer ratings of 79.6 and 58.7, respectively, in a 44–13 victory over the Colts (in their last season in the AFC East) and a 30–10 loss to the Miami Dolphins.^[27]

In the Pats' fifth game, Brady began to find his stride. Trailing the visiting San Diego Chargers 26–16 in the fourth quarter, Brady led the Patriots on two scoring drives to force overtime, and another in overtime to set up a winning field goal. Brady finished the game with 33 pass completions on 54 attempts, for 364 yards, and two touchdowns.^[28] The following week, Brady again played well during the rematch at Indianapolis, with a passer rating of 148.3 in a 38–17 win.^[29] The Patriots went on to win 11 of the 14 games Brady started, and six straight to finish the regular season, winning the AFC East and entering the playoffs with a first-round bye. Brady finished with 2,843 passing yards and 18 touchdowns and earned an invitation to the Pro Bowl.

In Brady's first playoff game, against the Oakland Raiders, he threw for 312 yards and led the Patriots back from a ten-point fourth-quarter deficit to send the game to overtime, where they won on an Adam Vinatieri field goal. A controversial play in that game came when, trailing by three in the fourth quarter, Brady lost control of the ball after being hit by fellow Wolverine Charles Woodson. Oakland initially recovered the ball, but, citing the "tuck rule," which states that any forward throwing motion by a quarterback begins a pass even if the quarterback loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body, referee Walt Coleman overturned the call on instant replay, ruling it an incomplete pass rather than a fumble.

In the AFC Championship Game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Brady injured his knee, and was relieved by Bledsoe. The Patriots won the game and were immediately instituted by Las Vegas oddsmakers as 14-point underdogs against the NFC champion St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

The score was tied with 1:21 left in the Super Bowl and the Patriots were at their own 15—with no timeouts—when sportscaster and Super Bowl-winning coach John Madden said he thought the Patriots should run out the clock and try to win the game in overtime. Instead, Brady drove the Patriots' offense down the field to the Rams 31 before spiking the ball with seven seconds left. The Patriots won the game on another Adam Vinatieri field goal as time expired. Brady was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXVI while throwing for 145 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, becoming the then-youngest quarterback to ever win a Super Bowl.

2002 season[link]

Brady and the Patriots finished the year at 9–7, tied with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins for the best record in the division; however, the Jets won the division on the third tiebreaker, and the Patriots missed the playoffs.

Although posting a career-low single-season rating of 85.7, Brady threw for a league-leading 28 touchdown passes and 921 more yards than in 2001, though his fourteen interceptions would turn out to be a career high.^[27] However, Brady played much of the second half of the season with a shoulder injury, and New England head coach Bill Belichick has since indicated that if the Patriots had made the playoffs, Brady would not have been able to play in the first game due to that injury.

2003 season[link]

In the 2003 NFL season, after a 2–2 start, Brady led the Patriots to twelve consecutive victories to finish the season, thus winning the AFC East. Statistically, Brady's strongest game of the season was against Buffalo, when he achieved a season-high quarterback rating of 122.9.^[27] Brady finished with 3,620 passing yards and 23 touchdowns, and was second in NFL MVP voting to rival Peyton Manning and Steve McNair. In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. On February 1, 2004, Brady led the Patriots to a 32–29 victory over the NFC champion Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII and was named Super Bowl MVP for the second time. During the game, Brady threw for 354 yards with three touchdowns and set the record for most completions by a QB in a Super Bowl (32). With 1:08 left in the fourth quarter and the score tied 29–29, Brady engineered a drive to put the Patriots in position for the game-winning field goal.

2004 season[link]

Brady during Super Bowl XXXIX

During the 2004 season, Brady helped the Patriots set an NFL record with 21 straight wins dating from the previous year, an accomplishment honored in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (though for official records, the NFL considers it an 18-game regular season winning streak; it does not count playoff games). New England's 14–2 record equalled that of their 2003 season, as well as the best regular-season record ever for a defending champion. The Patriots also won the AFC East divisional title for the third time in four years. Brady threw for 3,692 yards and 28 touchdowns, with a 92.6 passer rating, and was voted to his second Pro Bowl. In the AFC playoffs, Brady led the Patriots to victories over the Indianapolis Colts and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brady played his best game of the year in Pittsburgh despite requiring intravenous treatment the previous night when he ran a temperature of 103 degrees. Against the NFL's best defensive team, Brady recorded a quarterback passer rating of 130.5, his highest of the season.^[27] On February 6, 2005, the Brady-led Patriots defeated the Philadelphia Eagles to win Super Bowl XXXIX. Brady threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, most of which went to Deion Branch, while capturing the Patriots' third championship in four years.

2005 season[link]

During the 2005 season, the Patriots were forced to rely more on Brady's passing, due to injuries suffered by running backs Corey Dillon, Patrick Pass, and Kevin Faulk. Brady also had to adjust to a new center and a new running back: Heath Evans. The results were positive; Brady finished first in the league with 4,110 passing yards and third in the league with 26 touchdowns. At 92.3, his 2005 passer rating was the second-highest of his career at the time, although he equalled his career high for interceptions with fourteen.^[27] He also rushed for 89 yards and fumbled a career-low four times.^[27] Brady and the Patriots finished with a 10–6 record, winning their third straight AFC East title. Some of the highlights of the season included another game with the Steelers, in which Brady helped lead the team on the game-winning drive. When the Patriots visited the Atlanta Falcons, Brady achieved a regular season-high rating of 140.3.^[27]

In the playoffs, Brady led the Patriots to a 28–3 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wild card round; however, on January 14, 2006, the Patriots lost 27–13 to the Denver Broncos at INVESCO Field. Brady threw for 346 yards in the game with one touchdown and two interceptions, in the first playoff loss of his career. After the season's end, it was revealed that Brady had been playing with a sports hernia since December. Linebacker Willie McGinest commented on it and said he knew, but Brady continued on playing. This is the main reason Brady did not go to the Pro Bowl when he was invited.^[30]

Despite not playing in the game, Brady was present at Super Bowl XL, as the official coin tosser and as part of a celebration of Super Bowl MVP Award winners.

Brady on the sideline with teammates Randy Moss and Jabar Gaffney, after throwing for his record-breaking 50th passing touchdown of the season at Giants Stadium.

2006 season[link]

Brady led the Patriots to a 12–4 record and the fourth seed in the AFC playoffs despite having an almost completely new receiving corps. In the regular season, Brady threw for 3,529 yards and 24 touchdowns. He was not among the players initially selected to the Pro Bowl,^[31] although he was offered an injury-replacement selection when Philip Rivers was forced to withdraw (which he declined).^[32]

In the postseason, the Patriots first hosted their division rivals, the New York Jets, in the wild-card round. The Patriots defeated the Jets 37–16, as Brady went 22–34 for 212 yards and two TDs. In the divisional round, the Patriots traveled to San Diego to take on the Chargers. This was Brady's first playoff game in his home state of California. Brady and the Patriots struggled against the Chargers, whom many had picked as favorites to win Super Bowl XLI. With eight minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Patriots down by eight points, Brady and the Patriots started a key drive that would ultimately decide the game. After a 49-yard pass play to Reche Caldwell, a Stephen Gostkowski field goal gave the Patriots a 24–21 win.

In the AFC championship, the Patriots faced the Indianapolis Colts. The Patriots and Colts had faced each other twice in the previous three postseasons at Foxboro; this game, however, was played at Indianapolis. The Patriots led at halftime, 21–6; however, the Colts staged a comeback, resulting in a last minute interception thrown by Brady, and a Patriots loss.

2007 season[link]

Playing with a dramatically overhauled receiver corps—in the 2007 offseason, the Patriots acquired wide receivers Donté Stallworth, Wes Welker, Kelley Washington and Randy Moss; tight end Kyle Brady; and running back Sammy Morris—Brady enjoyed what some sports writers have described as the best season ever by a quarterback.^[33] Brady, along with Moss, decided to withdraw from the 2008 Pro Bowl. The average score of a 2007 Patriots regular season game would be 37–17 by the end of the year.^[34] Brady not only led the Patriots to a 16–0 record, outscoring opponents by more than a 2-to-1 margin, but attained numerous career, franchise, and NFL records and milestones:

• Week 6: Visiting Dallas, he had a career-high five passing touchdowns in a 48–27 win. The win tied him with Roger Staubach for the most wins ever by a starting quarterback in his first 100 regular-season games, with 76.^[35]
• Week 7: In a 49–28 win at Miami, he had yet another record day, with six passing touchdowns, setting a franchise record. He also had the first perfect passer rating of his career.^[36]
• Week 8: In a 52–7 rout at home against Washington, he threw three touchdowns, giving him a career-best 30 for the season; his previous best was 28—in an entire season—in 2002 and 2004. The win also gave Brady a victory over every NFL franchise except New England.
• Week 9: In a come-from-behind 24–20 victory at Indianapolis, he threw for another three touchdowns, for a total of 33 on the season; his 32nd touchdown of the season, to Wes Welker, broke Babe Parilli's Patriots record of 31 touchdowns in a season—in five fewer games. It was also the ninth consecutive game in which he had thrown three or more touchdowns, breaking Peyton Manning's NFL record of eight.^[37]
• Week 11: Following the Patriots' bye week, Brady threw for another five touchdown passes in a 56–10 rout of Buffalo, breaking Steve Grogan's franchise record for career touchdown passes with 185.
• Week 12: In a 31–28 win over Philadelphia, he only threw for a single touchdown, ending his streak of three-touchdown games at ten, but reached 25,000 regular-season passing yards.
• Week 13: In another come-from-behind win, a 27–24 win against the Baltimore Ravens, he became the fourth quarterback—after Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning, and Dan Marino (who did it twice)—to throw 40 touchdown passes in a season.
• Week 14: In a 34–13 victory against Pittsburgh, he threw four touchdowns, putting him third all-time for touchdown passes in a single season with 45, behind Peyton Manning in 2004 and Marino in 1984. It was his eleventh game with at least three touchdown passes, beating Marino's 1984 record of ten.^[38] He also reached the 4,000 yards passing mark for the second time in his career.
• Week 15: Brady, making his 108th consecutive regular-season start at quarterback, surpassed Joe Ferguson for the fourth-longest streak in NFL history, after Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and Ron Jaworski.
• Week 16: Brady's third touchdown of the day was the Patriots' 71st total touchdown of the season, breaking the NFL record of 70 set by the Miami Dolphins in 1984. This was his twelfth game of the season with three or more touchdown passes, extending his own NFL record. This was also the Patriots', and Brady's, 18th consecutive regular-season win, tying the NFL record they set in 2003 and 2004.^[39]
• Week 17: Brady threw two touchdown passes; his second touchdown was his 50th, breaking Peyton Manning's 2004 record of 49. The pass was also Randy Moss' 23rd touchdown catch of the season, breaking Jerry Rice's record of 22 in a season. The win finished off the first 16–0 season in NFL history, and was the Patriots' 19th consecutive regular season win, breaking their own 2003–2004 league record of 18. Brady finished 398/578 for 4,806 yards (#3 all-time) and 50 touchdowns (#1 all time) versus only eight interceptions, and a 117.2 passer rating (#2 all-time). His 398 completions were fifth all-time. Brady was named the NFL MVP for this season, as well as Offensive Player of the Year.

2007 playoffs[link]

In the Patriots' first playoff game, an AFC Divisional game against Jacksonville, Brady began the game with an NFL postseason record sixteen consecutive completed passes, and finished the game with 26 completions in 28 attempts, a completion rate of 92.9%. That mark is the highest single-game completion percentage (for passers with at least 20 attempts) in NFL history, regular season or postseason.^[40] With the win, the Patriots matched the Dolphins as the only team to win 17 consecutive games in one season.

Statistically, Brady did not fare as well in the AFC Championship Game against the San Diego Chargers, throwing three interceptions (including his first interception in the red zone since the playoff loss to Denver). Nevertheless, the Patriots won their 18th game of the season, 21–12, to advance to the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven seasons. Brady, with the 100th win of his career, also set an NFL record for the fewest games needed by a starting quarterback to do so: his 100–26 record is sixteen games better than Joe Montana's.^[41] In Super Bowl XLII, Brady was pressured heavily and sacked five times. The Patriots did manage to take the lead with a Brady touchdown to Moss with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Giants were able to score a last-minute touchdown to upset the Patriots 17–14.

Awards[link]

Brady won numerous NFL awards during the season: he was voted FedEx Express NFL Player of the Week (an award for quarterbacks) four times (in Weeks 6, 7, 11, and 17), selected as AFC Offensive Player of the Week five times (in Weeks 3, 6, 7, 14, and 17), and AFC Offensive Player of the Month for both September and October. On 2008-01-05, Brady was named the NFL MVP, garnering a record-tying 49 of 50 possible votes (the other vote went to Brett Favre), making him the first Patriot to ever win the award. He was also named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2010.

Brady in action against the Washington Redskins on August 28, 2009.

2008 season[link]

Brady did not play in any games during the 2008 preseason due to a right foot injury from the previous AFC Championship game.^[42] In the Patriots' 2008 season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium, Brady's left knee was seriously injured midway through the first quarter on a hit by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard; he left the game and did not return. The team later confirmed that Brady would need surgery, and that he had been placed on injured reserve for the remainder of the season.^[43] It is believed he tore both his anterior cruciate ligament and his medial collateral ligament.^[44] The injury ended Brady's streak of 111 consecutive starts (fourth in the list of most consecutive starts by an NFL quarterback, behind Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, and Ron Jaworski).^[45] Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at the Los Angeles Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic October 6, using Brady's patellar tendon graft to replace the torn ligament, and also repaired his medial collateral ligament, through a separate incision in his left knee.^[46] An infection in the wound resulted in further debridement surgery several times since the original procedure. Brady received IV antibiotics for this infection which, at the time, threatened to delay his rehab.^[47][48]

2009 season[link]

In his first official game back from injury, Brady threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns in the 2009 season opener against the Buffalo Bills. In the final minutes of the game, the Patriots were down 24–13 before Brady and Benjamin Watson connected on two straight touchdowns to lead the Patriots to a 25–24 win. Brady was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the 13th time in his career for his performance.

On October 18, 2009, in an early season snowstorm, Brady set an NFL record against the Tennessee Titans for most touchdowns in a single quarter, throwing five (two to Moss, one to Faulk, and two to Welker) in the second quarter. Brady finished the game with six touchdowns, tying his career best, and 380 yards, completing 29 of 34 attempts, finishing with a nearly perfect passer rating of 152.8. The Patriots' 59–0 victory over the Titans tied the record for the largest margin of victory since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger,^[49] and set a record for largest halftime lead in NFL history (they led 45–0). He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week again for his performance. In Week 16, Brady set a Patriots regular season record with an 88.5% completion percentage against the Jacksonville Jaguars; he was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week after the game.

Brady would finish the 2009 regular season with 4,398 yards passing and 28 touchdowns for a 96.2 rating, despite a broken right ring finger and three fractured ribs, all which were suffered over the course of the season.^[50] He was selected as a reserve to the 2010 Pro Bowl and named the 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.^[51]

Brady ended the 2009 season throwing 3 interceptions in a Wild Card playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens, 33–14, his first career home playoff loss, and the first playoff loss at home by a New England Patriots quarterback since 1978.^[52]

2010 season – Second MVP[link]

On September 10, 2010, Brady signed a four-year, $72 million contract extension making him the highest-paid player in the NFL. The extension includes $48.5 million in guaranteed money and will likely keep Brady with the Patriots through the 2014 NFL season.^[53] The news of the contract occurred on the same day Brady escaped uninjured from a 6:30 a.m. car accident with what the Boston Herald called, "a road scofflaw".^[54]

Brady became the quickest to achieve 100 regular season wins by helping his team defeat the Miami Dolphins 41–14 on October 4, 2010.^[55]

On November 21, 2010, Brady tied Brett Favre's record of winning 25 consecutive regular-season home starts, in a 31–28 win over the Indianapolis Colts.^[56] Brady's last regular-season loss at home was on November 12, 2006, a 17–14 loss to the New York Jets.^[57] On December 6, 2010, Brady set an NFL record by winning 26 consecutive regular-season home starts, in a 45–3 victory over the New York Jets.

On December 19, 2010, in a 31–27 home win over the Green Bay Packers, Brady had his seventh straight two-touchdown game without an interception, surpassing Don Meredith's NFL record of six such games. The next week in a 34–3 road win over the Buffalo Bills, Brady surpassed Bernie Kosar's 1990–1991 record of 308 consecutive pass attempts without an interception.

Brady threw for 3,900 yards with 36 touchdowns and just four interceptions on the season. He had an 111.0 passer rating, giving him, at the time, two of the top five season ratings in NFL history,^[58] and making him the first player to finish with a rating above 110 in two different seasons. Brady's 9:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio (36:4) would break his own 2007 single-season record of 6.25:1, which he set in 2007, and make him the first qualifying quarterback^[59] to have had at least a 6:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in two different seasons.

Brady was selected as a starter to the 2011 Pro Bowl. However, he pulled out of the game (and was replaced by former backup Matt Cassel of the Kansas City Chiefs) after undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot dating back to 2008.^[60] Brady was also the only unanimous selection for the AP All-Pro Team and was named the 2010 Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He also achieved by unanimous decision the MVP award for the second time in his career.

2011 season[link]

Tom Brady in Denver, Colorado, on December 18, 2011, as the Patriots and Broncos were about to play.

In Week 1 of the 2011 NFL season, Brady threw for 517 yards and 4 touchdowns, with one interception, against the Miami Dolphins, the second time he had thrown for 400 or more yards in a single game. It was the most ever by a Patriots quarterback in a single game (the previous record was Drew Bledsoe's 426 yards against Minnesota in 1994), and the fifth-highest total in NFL history, after Norm Van Brocklin, Warren Moon, Boomer Esiason (in an overtime game), and Dan Marino; Brady's performance was also the first 500-yard. four-touchdown performance since Y. A. Tittle in 1962. Moreover, Brady and Miami quarterback Chad Henne combined for an NFL-record 933 passing yards, including a Monday Night Football record for Brady.^[61][62] Brady's interception ended his regular-season streak of pass attempts without an interception at 358; Brady also became the 12th quarterback to complete a 99-yard pass play, to Wes Welker. Brady was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his effort.

In Week 2, against the San Diego Chargers, Brady again threw for over 400 yards, completing 31 of 40 passes for 423 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions, all to second-year tight ends Rob Gronkowski (two) and Aaron Hernandez (one). Brady thus became the seventh quarterback in NFL history to pass for 400 or more yards in consecutive weeks, and the second Patriots quarterback to do so (Matt Cassel was the first, in 2008); the sixth quarterback to accomplish the feat, Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton, did so earlier on the same day that Brady did. Brady was again named AFC Offensive Player of the Week, making him the first player in 28 years to win that award in Week 1 and Week 2 of the same season.^[63] It also marked the first time a player followed a 500-yard passing game with a 400-yard passing game.^[64]

In Week 4, against the Oakland Raiders in Oakland, Brady tied Peyton Manning's record of 13 consecutive regular-season games with at least two touchdowns, and moved into ninth place, past his childhood idol Joe Montana, on the list of most touchdown passes, with 274.

In Week 15, Brady became only the second quarterback in NFL history with consecutive seasons with at least 35 passing touchdowns (after Brett Favre did it in 1995, 1996, and 1997), and the seventh with multiple seasons with at least 4,500 pass yards (after Dan Fouts, Dan Marino, Warren Moon, Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees). The next week, Brady became the first quarterback with three seasons of 36 or more touchdowns.

In the regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills, Brady became the fourth quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards in a single season, finishing with 5,235; it surpassed Dan Marino's longstanding record of 5,084 passing yards, but finished the season second behind Drew Brees' 5,476.

2011 postseason[link]

In the Patriots' 45–10 rout of the Denver Broncos in the Divisional round, Brady set a personal postseason best with 363 passing yards, and tied an NFL record shared by Daryle Lamonica and Steve Young, throwing for 6 touchdown passes (he also had 1 interception). The win, his first postseason win since January 2008, gave Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick sole possession of the NFL record for postseason wins by a QB-coach combo with 15.

Statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

Personal life[link]

Brady riding a bicycle for charity at the Best Buddies Ride in Hyannis, Massachusetts in May 2009.

Brady dated actress Bridget Moynahan from 2004 until late 2006.^[65] On February 18, 2007, Moynahan confirmed to People magazine that she was more than three months pregnant with her and Brady's child.^[65][66] Brady and Moynahan ended their relationship sometime in early December 2006, around the time Moynahan became pregnant.^[67] Brady was present when their son, John Edward Thomas Moynahan,^[68] was born on August 22, 2007 at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California.^[69] John's middle names are Brady's own first and middle names in reverse order, while Moynahan's father's first name is Edward.

Brady married Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen on February 26, 2009 in an intimate Catholic ceremony in Santa Monica.^[70][71] On September 11, 2009, Brady confirmed to ESPN that they were expecting their first child together, and that Bündchen was due in December 2009.^[72] Bündchen gave birth to their son, Benjamin Rein Brady, on December 8, 2009.^[73] Benjamin's middle name is a shortened version of Bündchen's father's name Reinoldo.^[74] They christened their six-month-old son in Santa Monica on June 22, 2010.^[11]

Two paparazzi photographers claim they were shot at by security guards after Brady and Bundchen renewed their wedding vows in Costa Rica on April 5, 2009. Photographs appeared in the Boston Herald of the shattered rear window of a vehicle belonging to one of these two paparazzi.^[75][76] The photographers, Yuri Cortez and Rolando Aviles, filed a lawsuit in New York against Brady and Bündchen seeking over $1 million in damages over the incident.^[77]

Bradying[link]

After the Patriots' loss in Super Bowl XLVI, a notable term came around called "Bradying", which involves sitting down with the head lowered and hands clasped between the legs.^[78] This "celebration" came after Brady threw a game-changing interception to New York Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn early in the fourth quarter. Bradying was often compared to "Tebowing", a pose named after Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, with many calling Tebowing the pose of 2011, and many calling Bradying the pose of 2012.^[79][80] In a fashion similar to Tebowing, a website was created dedicated to Bradying.^[81]

Notable accomplishments[link]

NFL records[link]

Wins

• Fewest starts to achieve 100 regular-season wins as a starter (131 starts)
• Most wins with one head coach (124, Bill Belichick).^[82]
• Most consecutive wins, postseason: 10 (2001, 2003, 2004, 2005)
• Most consecutive wins, regular season and postseason: 21 (2003–2004)
• Most consecutive wins in regular-season home games: 31 (2006–2011)
• Most seasons finishing 8–0 at home: 5 (2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010)
• Only quarterback to start and win 3 Super Bowls before his 28th birthday
• Highest winning percentage (.780) in NFL history

Touchdowns

• Most passing touchdowns, regular season: 50 (2007)
• Most passing touchdowns, regular season and postseason combined: 56 (2007) – tied with Dan Marino, 1984
• Most touchdown passes, month: 20 (October 2007)
• Most passing touchdowns, quarter: 5 (second quarter vs. Tennessee, October 18, 2009)
• Largest touchdown to interception differential: +42 (2007)
• Highest touchdown to interception ratio, season: 9.0 to 1 (36 TD/4 INT, 2010) (minimum 12 TD passes)
• Highest touchdown pass–interception ratio, career: 2.52–1 (260 TD/103 INT) (minimum 200 TD passes)
• Most games with 3+ touchdown passes, regular season: 12 (2007)
• Most consecutive games with 5+ touchdown passes: 2 (2007) (tied with Daunte Culpepper)
• Most consecutive games with 3+ touchdown passes: 10 (2007)
• Most consecutive games with 2+ touchdown passes: 13 (tied with Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Don Meredith)
• Most consecutive games with 2+ touchdown passes and no interceptions: 9 (2010, October 24 – 2011, September 12)
• Most games with 1 touchdown pass and no interceptions, season: 14 (2010)
• Most games with 2 touchdown passes and no interceptions, season: 11 (2010)
• Most games with 3 touchdown passes and no interceptions, season: 8 (2007)
• Most games with 4 touchdown passes and no interceptions, season: 5 (2007)
• Most games with 4 touchdown passes and no interceptions, career: 12 – tied with Brett Favre
• Most games with 5 touchdown passes and no interceptions, season: 3 (2007)
• Most games with 5 touchdown passes and no interceptions, career: 4 – tied with Peyton Manning
• Most games with 6 touchdown passes and no interceptions, career 2 – tied with Peyton Manning

Completions

• Highest single-game completion percentage, postseason: 92.9% (vs. Jacksonville, January 12, 2008)^[83]
• Most completions in a Super Bowl: 32 – tied with Drew Brees (XXXVIII)
• Most career Super Bowl completions: 100 (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, XLII)
• Largest completion–interception ratio, season: 81.0–1 (324–4) (minimum 150 completions), 2010
• Most games with 20 completions and no interceptions, season: 10 (2007)
• Most games with 30 completions and no interceptions, career: 9 – tied with Drew Brees
• Most games with 30 completions and no interceptions, season: 5 (2007)
• Most games with 50 pass attempts and no interceptions, career: 3

Yards

• Largest passing yards–interception ratio, career: 337.3–1 (34,744–103) (minimum 20,000 passing yards)
• Largest passing yards–interception ratio, season: 975.0–1 (3,900–4) (minimum 2,000 passing yards), 2010
• Most games with 300 yards passing and no interceptions, season: 8 (2007)

Interception-free streaks and interception percentage

• Most consecutive pass attempts to start a career without an interception: 162 (2000–2001)
• Most consecutive pass attempts without an interception, regular season: 358 (2010, October 24 – 2011, September 12)
• Third-lowest interception percentage (interceptions per attempt), career: 2.19% (Aaron Rodgers ranks first @ 1.99%; Neil O'Donnell is second @ 2.11%)

Personal bests[link]

Excluding the list of NFL records above:

• Highest single-game quarterback rating: 158.3 (at Miami, October 21, 2007 and at Detroit, November 25, 2010) Perfect Rating
• Highest single-season quarterback rating: 117.2 (2007) 3rd highest all-time
• Most passing touchdowns, game: 6 (at Miami, October 21, 2007 and vs. Tennessee, October 18, 2009)
• Most passing yards, game: 517 (at Miami, September 12, 2011)
• Most passing yards, season: 5,235 (2011) 2nd highest all-time
• Lowest interception total, season (minimum 2 starts): 4 (2010)
• Most consecutive games with 1+ touchdown passes: 29 (2010–present) 5th all-time
• Most consecutive uninterrupted games with 1+ touchdown passes: 29 (2010–present) 2nd all-time
• Most consecutive playoff games with 1+ touchdown passes: 17 (2002–present) 2nd all-time

21-game win streak statistics (including post-season)[link]

• 690 passes attempted
• 412 passes completed
• 4,953 passing yards
• 34 passing touchdowns
• 13 passes intercepted
• 20.29 passing attempts per touchdown
• 53.07 passing attempts per interception
• 59.71 completion rate
• 90.3 passer rating

Career[link]

• 124–35 (.780) (regular season), 138–40 (.775) (career) as a starter
• 8–1 (career) in overtime games
• 37–7 (career) vs. NFC teams
• 33 game-winning drives after a Patriots' fourth-quarter tie or deficit^[84]

Post-season records and statistics[link]

• NFL record for most consecutive wins in post season: 10 (broke record of Green Bay's Bart Starr).
• Most consecutive post season wins (college and professional combined): 12
• 3 Super Bowl victories
• 2 Super Bowl MVP awards
• Most completions in a Super Bowl (32 in Super Bowl XXXVIII)
• Most career Super Bowl completions (100 in four games)
• Highest completion percentage in a single game, minimum 20 attempts (26 of 28, 92.9%, against Jacksonville in 2007 AFC Divisional round)^[85]
• Most touchdowns passes in a playoff game(tied with Steve Young & Daryle Lamonica): 6, January 14, 2012
• Most touchdowns passes in a playoff game half: 5, January 14, 2012

See also[link]

	American football portal
	Biography portal
	College football portal
	Michigan portal
	New England portal

References[link]