Signature Game
Feb. 1, 2004 - The bigger the game, the better Tom Brady plays. And since no football game is bigger than the Super Bowl, that's where the New England quarterback shines brightest.
At 26, Brady became the youngest player to earn two Super Bowl MVP awards when he completed 32-of-48 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns in leading the Patriots to a 32-29 victory over the Carolina Panthers in Houston. No one – not Joe Montana, not Terry Bradshaw – had ever completed that many passes in a Super Bowl.
And, as it had two years earlier when Brady earned his first MVP trophy for sparking the Pats' 20-17 upset of the St. Louis Rams, his highlight in this game came in the final moments. With the score tied at 29-29 and 1:08 remaining, Brady completed 4-of-5 passes to move the Patriots 37 yards to set up Adam Vinatieri's winning 41-yard field goal with four seconds left.
Brady's first two touchdown passes came in the last three minutes of the second quarter, giving New England a 14-10 halftime lead. Then in the fourth quarter, after the Panthers took the lead at 22-21 with 6:53 left, Brady regained the advantage for the Patriots on a one-yard touchdown pass to linebacker Mike Vrabel. And when the Panthers rallied to tie, Brady came through – as usual – to give the Patriots their 15th consecutive victory.
Odds 'n' Ends
Besides Brady, Serra High School in San Mateo, Calif., has produced several other professional athletes, including Lynn Swann and Barry Bonds.
Quarterbacks selected in the 2000 NFL draft before the Patriots took Brady in the sixth round: Chad Pennington (Jets), Giovanni Carmazzi (49ers), Chris Redman (Ravens), Tee Martin (Steelers), Marc Bulger (Saints) and Spergon Wynn (Browns).
Maureen, one of Tom's older sisters, was inducted into the San Mateo County (California) Sports Hall of Fame before he was.
Brady was the third quarterback to lead his team to a Super Bowl in his first year as a starter. Vince Ferragamo led the Los Angeles Rams to Super Bowl XIV against the Steelers and Kurt Warner took the St. Louis Rams to Super Bowl XXXIV against the Titans.
Brady was the fifth quarterback to be named to the Pro Bowl in the season of his first NFL start. The others: Dan Marino (1983), Brett Favre (1992), Kurt Warner (1999) and Daunte Culpepper (2000).
Brady was a judge for the Miss USA 2002 pageant. Donald Trump, also a judge, flew the two of them from New York to Gary, Indiana, the site of the competition, on his private jet.
Brady was not sacked in 126 pass attempts in the 2003 playoffs.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins used Bob Griese and Earl Morrall as starting quarterbacks during their 17-game winning streak. So, Brady has the longest personal single-season victory streak in NFL history with his 15 in 2003.
Behind Brady, the Patriots won their first six games in 2004 to raise their record NFL winning streak to 21, including the postseason, before they lost to the Steelers.
Brady joined Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and Bart Starr as the only quarterbacks to win at least two Super Bowl MVP awards.
Brady had an audience with Pope John Paul II in April 2004.
In his first four full NFL seasons, Brady was 57-14 (.803) as a starter. That is the best record of any NFL quarterback with at least 40 starts since 1966.
Other Brady career distinctions after four seasons: He was the NFL's all-time leader in overtime wins without a defeat, 7-0. He was 19-2 in games decided by less than a touchdown, including 5-0 in the playoffs and 3-0 in the Super Bowl in such games. He was 39-5 (.886) in games after November 1, including 9-0 in the postseason. He directed 17 game-winning drives to break a tie or take the lead in the fourth quarter or overtime.
Brady was the only starting quarterback not to throw an interception in the 2004 postseason.
In May 2005, the Patriots tore up Brady's contract, which had two years remaining and called for him to make $11.5 million, and signed him to a $60-million, six-year deal. The new contract included a $14.5-million signing bonus and a $12-million roster bonus due in March 2006.
Brady is known for dating attractive actresses. He used to date Tara Reid and his current girlfriend is Bridget Moynahan.
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