New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady may not have the stats of his AFC rival Peyton Manning, but one look at his set of Super Bowl rings erases any doubt that Brady is the most successful QB in the NFL today, not to mention blinding innocent bystanders with the diamond-studded bling of football dominance.
Despite his reign as King of New England, Brady was born on the opposite coast on August 3, 1977, in San Mateo, CA. Brady grew up in the San Francisco suburb and attended Junípero Serra High School before moving on to the University of Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to a 1999 Orange Bowl victory. Selected by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady played fourth-string QB behind Drew Bledsoe (among others), and performed unexceptionally in his few chances at play. In September 2001, however, Bledsoe suffered a severe injury during a game against the New York Giants, bumping Brady up to starting quarterback amidst a general feeling of doubt in the future champ. The rest is history – Brady led the Pats to an 11-5 season, and helped win the franchise its first Super Bowl title, despite the St. Louis Rams being heavily favored to win.
The Pats missed out on the Super Bowl in the 2002 season, though Brady threw a terrific 28 touchdown passes despite playing with a shoulder injury for much of the season. The next two seasons saw the team emerge as a modern football dynasty, winning two Super Bowls in a row and breaking an NFL record with 21 consecutive wins over the two seasons. The post-season is where Brady shines in the record books – a record ten consecutive wins, an incredible 10-1 overall postseason record, nearly 2500 passing yards, and two Super Bowl MVP awards. Brady’s team was injury-rattled in 2005, and a loss to the Broncos ended the season after winning their third straight AFC East title. Brady led the league with 4,110 passing yards.
Brady has earned numerous accolades off the field as well, including Sports Illustrated’s 2005 ‘Sportsman of the Year’, making him the first footballer since 1990 to receive the honor, a nomination for FedEx Air Player of the Year, and a spot on the 2002 People Magazine list of the sexiest human beings on earth. His possession of the latter trait has helped him in his dating life, as since becoming the #1 stud of the NFL he has reportedly dated Mariah Carey, Tara Reid, Britney Spears, and is currently involved with sexy “I, Robot” star Bridget Moynahan.