There's no denying that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has enjoyed one of the most phenomenal careers of all-time. On top of his four Super Bowl rings, Brady sits fifth all-time in passing yards (58,028), third in touchdowns (428), and sixth in passer rating (96.4) heading into his 17th season. What's crazy is that he shows no signs of slowing down. At 38-years-old, Brady just completed 64.4 percent of his passes while throwing for 4,770 yards with 36 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. Who does that? No one.
But is Brady the No. 1 QB in NFL history? His head coach Bill Belichick thinks so.
Speaking as a guest at the 2016 Salesforce World Tour event in Boston on Thursday, Belichick said that Brady is the "greatest quarterback of all time." The man may be bias, but that doesn't mean he's wrong. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but Brady certainly has made a case for himself.
Belichick included Brady among a group of "special guys" that he feels privileged to coach.
"He's been just a tremendous leader and tremendous player for our organization," Belichick said.
The head coach was then asked about New England's continued run of success dating back to 2000.
"One of the things we've tried to do is be an outlier in some respects," he said. Mission accomplished.
Belichick noted that when he took over the Patriots in 2000, they were one of just two teams in the NFL to run the 3-4 defense. By 2005, the team had won three Super Bowls and half of the NFL had converted to a 3-4, making it more difficult to find players that fit their scheme.
"We've had to find different ways to capitalize on the talent that's available," he said. "Otherwise, we're going to get like the fifth-, sixth-, seventh-best guy at whatever position it is. So we've tried to take more of our way in areas that are less populated." He explained that it really came down to having "great players" in order to win.
So how has he kept this impressive ship running going on 17 years now? By seeking out players with a similar approach to the game.
"If you like football, and you like to come in and work on football, then the New England Patriots is a great place to be," he said. "If you don't if it's a job, if you'd rather be doing something else, honestly you'd be better off with another team.
"I think it starts there - a love of the game, the passion for the game, a passion to be part of a team, be part of a group, be part of a commitment to perform at a high level, and be unselfish and to give up some of your own personal goals and desires for the good of the team for the opportunity to be part of something special in a team environment. I think those are the things that help us."
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
