No, the Tuck Rule was not a factor. Nor was Spygate. No matter, the New England Patriots' Tom Brady built up an impressive enough body of work to be voted the quarterback most players surveyed in our ESPN.com NFL Nation poll wanted under center at the two-minute warning with the Super Bowl on the line.
Of the more than 320 players polled anonymously, Brady received 128 votes to outdistance the Denver Broncos' Peyton Manning, who had 86 votes. Rounding out the top five -- Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers (32), New Orleans' Drew Brees (21) and Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger (20).
Fourteen quarterbacks received votes.
And while it may be tough for Raiders fans to celebrate Brady even 12 years after the Tuck Rule Game, he actually received the most votes in the Raiders locker room with three. Rodgers received two while Brees, Manning and Andrew Luck all received one.
Matt McGloin, though, also received two votes in the Oakland locker room as the poll was taken when the undrafted rookie was the Raiders' starter.