Tom Brady biography

Synopsis

Born on August 3, 1977, in San Mateo, California, Tom Brady had a background in baseball and football before being picked to play with the New England Patriots in 2000. Working with coach Bill Belichick, he's led the team to three Super Bowls championships, been voted league MVP twice and recognized as Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated. He married supermodel Gisele Bündchen in 2004.

Early Athletic Career

Born on August 3, 1977, in San Mateo, California, Tom Brady excelled at both football and baseball at Junipero Serra High School. After graduating in 1995, Brady passed up a chance to play professional baseball to go to University of Michigan.

Although a member of the school's football team, Brady did not spend much time on the field in his first two college seasons. In his junior year, however, he served as the starting quarterback. That season, Brady threw 350 passes for 2,636 yards. In his final season, he helped lead his team to an Orange Bowl victory in 2000.

NFL Career

Moving on to the NFL, Brady was drafted by the New England Patriots in 2000. Initially he served as a backup quarterback and played in only one game in his first season. The 2001 season was a different story. After starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured, Brady took over for him. He proved to be a strong leader, with a powerful arm and good aim. Anyone who doubted his abilities only had to look at the team's record, an impressive 11 wins to 3 losses in the 14 games that Brady started. In the post-season, he helped the team secure a win over the St. Louis Rams at Super Bowl XXXVI. He was received the Most Valuable Player Award for this Super Bowl.

Two years later, Brady led his team to another win at Super Bowl XXXVIII against the Carolina Panthers. For his efforts, he won his second Super Bowl MVP Award. Brady signed a new six-year contract with the New England Patriots in 2005. For the 2006 season, the team had 12 wins and 4 losses in the regular season.

The following season proved to be another amazing time for the football star. He led the Patriots through an undefeated, regular season. The team faced off against the New York Giants at Super Bowl XLII, losing to their nearby rival in a very close game.

During the first game of the 2008 season, however, Brady was quickly sidelined with a knee injury. He had several surgeries and extensive rehabilitation to repair the damage, forcing him to sit out the entire season. While some wondered whether the injury would be a career-ender, Brady came back to prove the doubters wrong. He signed a new contract with the team in 2010.

In the 2011 season, Brady pulled out all the stops, helping the team secure their place at Super Bowl XLVI. The Patriots once again battled the New York Giants in football's ultimate game, hoping to emerge victorious. Before the big event, Brady's wife, model Gisele Bündchen, sent out an email to friends and family. She asked them to pray for Brady and to "envision him happy and fulfilled experiencing with his team a victory." Unfortunately, these prayers went unanswered in an extremely tight game.

The Giants beat the Patriots, 21 to 17.

 

2012 Season

Brady made headlines in December 2012, following a close game between the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. Brady had led the Patriots back from a 28-point defecit by the fourth quarter, but the 49ers ultimately took the game, 41-34. Brady later commented on the outcome of the game, stating on WEEI-AM, "I'm really proud of the fact our guys never blinked an eye down 28 points against probably the best defense in the league."

With his many career accomplishments, Brady has been compared to such legendary quarterbacks as Joe Namath and Joe Montana, among others.

Personal Life

Along with being a football champion, Brady is also a popular celebrity. He was chosen as one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2002 and hosted the popular comedy show, Saturday Night Live, in 2005.

He and longtime girlfriend, Bridget Moynahan, split up in late 2006. The next year, she gave birth to their son, John Edward Thomas Moynahan, in August. Brady married model Gisele Bündchen in February of 2009. The couple welcomed a son named Benjamin in December of that same year.