Almost two decades to his first NFL start, which was the birth of the New England Patriots dynasty. Arguably, one of the greatest runs in professional sports history. On Sunday night, Tom Brady, the quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, set a new record for career passing yards during his comeback at Gillette Stadium.
Brady had 80,291 career passing yards heading to the game against the Patriots. His first time stepping foot back in New England since the departure of 2020. His last pass inside the Patriots stadium was an interception for a touchdown. He only needed 68 more yards to surpass future Hall of Famer Drew Brees who had 80, 358 passing yards.
Brady’s Honored but Not Content
Brady set the record by completing a 28-yard pass to Mike Evans in the first quarter. Unlike when Brees broke the record in 2018, there wasn’t much of a stoppage or celebration by the crowd of his peers. Many acknowledged the record, but prior to kickoff, the Patriots did play video tribute to Brady, per ESPN. Not to mention, the warm standing ovation that was given to Brady as he ran onto the field.
Still, Brady had a very tough game battling through that stubborn Patriots defense and the weather conditions. Nonetheless, he was able to finish with 269 passing yards with 22 completions on 43 attempts and a victory over the Pats, 19-17.
“It’s an incredible statistic because so many people can celebrate it with me,” Brady expressed, bringing the football to his postgame press conference. “As a quarterback, I only throw the ball. The yards have to be caught, so I hope that everyone who caught passes from me throughout the years had a little smile on their face tonight, knowing they contributed to this remarkable record.”
“Some notable names have come before me. Drew Brees, whom I greatly admire, is an exceptional person and player. Peyton Manning, one of my personal favorites, and Brett Favre, as well as Dan Marino. However, my teammates who have caught these passes throughout the years hold a special place in my heart,” Brady added.
The Meaning of the Game to Tom Brady
Overall, the way the record was broken was poetic and extremely memorable for the long-time Patriot quarterback. The fact the record was broken all in the place in which he started, making this event much more special.
