Tom Brady by the numbers: Patriots and Buccaneers QB had the greatest career in NFL history (2024)

Tom Brady is retiring from the NFL after 23 incredible seasons, establishing the greatest career in NFL history. Brady won seven Super Bowl titles in his tenure with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the most by any player in NFL history and more Super Bowl titles than any franchise.

In addition to Brady's seven Super Bowl titles, his five Super Bowl MVP's are the most in NFL history. Brady has the most passing yards and passing touchdowns in league history, along with the most quarterback wins and Pro Bowl selections in league history. Brady is the only player to win a NFL title in three different decades and is the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises in each conference (Peyton manning is the only other starting quarterback to win Super Bowls with two different teams).

Brady's career is something to awe at, as he arguably is the greatest player in NFL history. Let's take an incredible look back at his career in this special edition of "By The Numbers."

Most pass yards in NFL history -- regular season

Tom Brady -- 89,214
Drew Brees -- 80,538
Peyton Manning -- 71,940
Brett Favre -- 71,838
Ben Roethlisberger -- 64,088

Most pass TD in NFL history -- regular season

Tom Brady -- 649
Drew Brees -- 571
Peyton Manning -- 539
Brett Favre -- 508
Aaron Rodgers -- 475

Brady spent 20 seasons with theNew England Patriots, making them an iconic franchise in theNFL. New England built a model of sustained success thanks to Brady, capturing what's tied for the mostSuper Bowlchampionships in league history and making the playoffs in all but one season Brady started more than one game. The Patriots were the definition of consistency with Brady at the helm, a franchise fortunate to employ him for two decades.

Take a look at how good Brady was in his career with the Patriots (not counting his last three years with the Buccaneers).

Most passing yards -- NFL history

Tom Brady -- 102,614
Drew Brees -- 85,724
Peyton Manning-- 79,279
Brett Favre -- 77,693
Tom Brady (career with Patriots) -- 74,571
Ben Roethlisberger -- 70,060

Most passing touchdowns -- NFL history

Tom Brady -- 736
Drew Brees -- 571
Tom Brady (career with Patriots) -- 541
Peyton Manning -- 539
Brett Favre -- 508
Aaron Rodgers -- 449

Most wins as a starting QB -- NFL history

Tom Brady (career with Patriots) -- 219
Peyton Manning -- 186
Brett Favre -- 186
Drew Brees -- 172
Ben Roethlisberger-- 166

Brady's career with the Patriots is unlike the NFL has ever seen. His six Super Bowl titles with New England are tied with Herb Adderley, Fuzzy Thurston, and Forrest Gregg for the most championships by a player in NFL history. The Patriots -- in turn -- have six Super Bowl titles and nine Super Bowl appearances with Brady, the most in NFL history (New England has 11 total Super Bowl appearances, while Pittsburgh has the second most with eight).

Most Super Bowl starts (quarterback)

Tom Brady (Patriots/Buccaneers) -- 10
John Elway (Broncos) -- 5
Joe Montana (49ers) -- 4
Peyton Manning(Colts/Broncos) -- 4
Terry Bradshaw (Steelers) -- 4
Jim Kelly (Bills) -- 4
Roger Staubach (Cowboys) -- 4

What has made Brady's resume even more incredible is his success after turning 37 years old. Brady started five Super Bowls since turning 37 (he's 4-1 in those starts), which is more starts than all but one quarterback has throughout his entire career inNFLhistory (Elway). Brady has started three Super Bowls since turning 40, one more thanAaron RodgersandDrew Breescombinedto play in their entire careers.

Since Brady has double the amount of Super Bowl starts as any other quarterback, it's not surprising he dominates the top of many Super Bowl passing statistics. Let's take a look at how dominant Brady has been in the Super Bowl.

Most pass completions in Super Bowl history (career)

Tom Brady (Patriots/Buccaneers) -- 277
Peyton Manning (Colts/Broncos) -- 103
Kurt Warner (Rams/Cardinals) -- 83
Joe Montana (49ers) -- 83
Jim Kelly (Bills) -- 81

Most passing yards in Super Bowl history (career)

Tom Brady (Patriots/Buccaneers) -- 3,039
Kurt Warner (Rams/Cardinals) -- 1,156
Joe Montana (49ers) -- 1,152
John Elway (Broncos) -- 1,128
Peyton Manning (Colts/Broncos) -- 1,001

Most passing touchdowns in Super Bowl history (career)

Tom Brady (Patriots/Buccaneers) -- 21
Joe Montana (49ers) -- 11
Terry Bradshaw (Steelers) -- 9
Roger Staubach (Cowboys) -- 8
Kurt Warner (Rams/Cardinals) -- 6
Steve Young (49ers) -- 6

Most Super Bowl wins (career)

Tom Brady (Patriots/Buccaneers) -- 7
Joe Montana (49ers) -- 4
Terry Bradshaw (Steelers) -- 4
Troy Aikman (Cowboys) -- 3

Brady has played 20 seasons with a playoff game, the most inNFLhistory. He has more playoff wins (35) than all but three franchises. Only theNew England Patriots(37), San Francisco 49ers (37),Green Bay Packers(36), Dallas Cowboys (36), andPittsburgh Steelers(36) have more -- and Brady has 30 of thePatriots' playoff wins.

Most NFL championships (player)

Tom Brady (Patriots/Buccaneers) -- 7
Herb Adderley (Packers/Cowboys) -- 6
Forrest Gregg (Packers/Cowboys) -- 6
Fuzzy Thurston (Colts/Packers) -- 6

Most NFL championships (quarterback)

Tom Brady (Patriots/Buccaneers) -- 7
Bart Starr (Packers) -- 5
Joe Montana (49ers) -- 4
Terry Bradshaw (Steelers) -- 4

Brady is technically tied with Otto Graham for the most championships with seven, as Graham won four straight in the All-American Football Conference with theCleveland Brownsfrom 1946 to 1949. Only three of those championships count as NFL titles (theBrowns joined the NFL in 1950). Graham played in a championship game in all 10 of his professional football seasons, the same amount as Brady -- and the most for a starting quarterback in NFL history.

Finally, Brady holds or shares 40 NFL records. Here's an incredible list of all of them:

Tom Brady's NFL records

Most passing yards (89,214)
Most passing touchdowns (649)
Most pass attempts (12,050)
Most completions (7,753)
Most wins as starting QB (251)
Most 3,000-yard passing seasons (20)
Most 20 pass touchdown seasons (20)
Most quarterback starts (333)
Most games by a quarterback (335)
Oldest quarterback to start and win a game (45)
Oldest player to play in and win a Super Bowl (43)
Most Super Bowl wins (7)
Most Super Bowl appearances (10)
Most Super Bowl passing yards (3,039)
Most Super Bowl passing touchdowns (21)
Most Super Bowl completions (277)
Most Super Bowl passing attempts (421)
Most passing yards in a Super Bowl (505)
Most completions in a Super Bowl (43)
Most pass attempts in a Super Bowl (62)
Most playoff wins (35)
Most playoff games (48)
Most playoff passing yards (13,400)
Most playoff passing touchdowns (88)
Most playoff completions (1,200)
Most playoff pass attempts (1,921)
Most games with a touchdown pass (291)
Most games with multiple passing touchdowns (204)
Most games with three passing touchdowns (104)
Most games with four passing touchdowns (39)
Most consecutive games with two passing touchdowns and zero interceptions (9)
Most games with 300 passing yards and zero interceptions (62)
Most games with three passing touchdowns and zero interceptions (68)
Most games with four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions (28)
Only NFL player to win a title in three different decades
Threw a touchdown pass to 96 different players (regular season)
Threw a touchdown pass to 35 different players (postseason)
Longest completion (99 yards, shares record)
One of two quarterbacks to start and win a Super Bowl for multiple teams (Peyton Manning)
One of four quarterbacks to defeat all 32 NFL teams

The greatest career of any player in NFL history belongs to Tom Brady. An incredible 23 seasons that will seemingly be impossible for anyone to match.

As a seasoned sports analyst and enthusiast with an in-depth understanding of the NFL, I bring a wealth of knowledge to discuss the legendary career of Tom Brady. Over the years, I have closely followed the developments in the NFL, including player statistics, team dynamics, and historical achievements. My expertise is rooted in a comprehensive grasp of the intricacies of American football, allowing me to provide a thorough analysis of Tom Brady's remarkable journey in the league.

Now, delving into the article about Tom Brady's retirement, the evidence presented underscores his unparalleled success and impact on the NFL. Brady's 23-season career is a testament to his enduring excellence and unmatched achievements. Let's break down the key concepts mentioned in the article:

Super Bowl Achievements:
- Brady won seven Super Bowl titles, the most by any player in NFL history.
- He is the only starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl with two different franchises in each conference.
Regular Season Records:
- Brady holds the records for the most passing yards, passing touchdowns, quarterback wins, and Pro Bowl selections in NFL history.
- He is the only player to win an NFL title in three different decades.
Career with the New England Patriots:
- Brady spent 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, contributing to the team's sustained success.
- The Patriots, under Brady's leadership, captured six Super Bowl titles, tying for the most championships in NFL history.
Playoff Success:
- Brady played 20 seasons with a playoff game, the most in NFL history.
- He has more playoff wins (35) than all but three franchises.
Super Bowl Dominance:
- Brady's performance in the Super Bowl is highlighted by multiple records, including most pass completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns in Super Bowl history.
Records and Achievements:
- Brady holds or shares 40 NFL records, including most passing yards, passing touchdowns, wins as a starting quarterback, and Super Bowl victories.
Longevity and Success After 37:
- Brady's success after turning 37 is emphasized, with five Super Bowl starts and a record-breaking three Super Bowl starts after turning 40.
Versatility and Milestones:
- Brady's versatility is evident in his ability to win titles with two different franchises and throw touchdowns to a remarkable number of different players.
Legacy and Impact:
- Brady's legacy is cemented as the greatest player in NFL history, with a career that spans three decades and achievements that seem insurmountable.

In conclusion, Tom Brady's retirement marks the end of an era in the NFL, and his illustrious career leaves an indelible mark on the sport. The evidence presented in terms of records, achievements, and longevity solidifies his status as a football icon, and his impact on the game will be remembered for generations to come.