20 years ago today… the legend begins with the Mo Lewis hit

[RobertWeathers]

I don't necessarily like celebrating Mo Lewis and what happened to Drew as I was a kid and a huge Drew fan but it is definitely a strange part of the Brady story. Even looking back on it now that year still seemed like a a fairy tale. Starting 0-2, Drew going down, Patten unconscious on the sideline with the ball under his leg, the snow, the tuck rule. I still remember where I was for a lot of those games even 20 years later.

Agree 100%

I know SB1 wasn't ill-intentioned in celebrating Drew getting knocked into next Wednesday and put in a very dangerous health situation but celebrating the spark that changed everything to do with the NEP and the NFL for the next 20 years.

I was also in the, "Done With Drew" club and was ready for a QB change.

Just didn't want it to happen that way.

 

[Ian]

What ever happened to Mo Lewis Rocks

She passed away...unfortunately

 

[TheRainMaker]

Count me in not celebrating Drew getting hit by a guy that almost killed him.

Had Drew not been hit, how the season played out would’ve been interesting. Drew just signed a $100M contract, so does it get to a point where he gets benched? I’m sure Bill would’ve suggested it to Bob, but does Bob allow it?

If he didn’t, they don’t make the playoffs in 2001 as the offense was anemic with him. Bledsoe needed downfield threats and a TE to be effective.

In an alternate universe, does Bob lose patience with Bill because he can’t make the playoffs with a $100M QB?

 

[203Pat]

Count me in not celebrating Drew getting hit by a guy that almost killed him.

Had Drew not been hit, how the season played out would’ve been interesting. Drew just signed a $100M contract, so does it get to a point where he gets benched?

If he didn’t, they don’t make the playoffs in 2001 as the offense was anemic with him. Bledsoe needed downfield threats and a TE to be effective.

In an alternate universe, does Kraft lose patience with Bill because he can’t make the playoffs with a $100M QB?

I know this will delve into a BB vs Brady thing but I think Bill is gone at some point in 2002 if Bledsoe didn't get hurt. I can't imagine he pulls the $100 million dollar QB for no reason and it was clear Drew and Bill weren't a fit.

 

[Kontradiction]

What ever happened to Mo Lewis Rocks, and for that matter Icy Patriot?

The former is dead. The latter lurks.

 

[Kontradiction]

She passed away...unfortunately

MLR was a SHE!!!??? WHAT!?

 

[TheRainMaker]

I know this will delve into a BB vs Brady thing but I think Bill is gone at some point in 2002 if Bledsoe didn't get hurt. I can't imagine he pulls the $100 million dollar QB for no reason and it was clear Drew and Bill weren't a fit.

I agree. I think 2002 would’ve been the last season. Brady may have been cut and gone elsewhere by the new Coach as they use a draft pick on a QB.

After thinking about it, it would take some balls to ask an Owner you just signed a QB to a $100M dollar deal to and say it’s not working.

 

[Ryan]

Count me in as another that never liked celebrating the hit or thanking Mo Lewis. I'm grateful for Brady, but also grateful for Bledsoe. It's unfortunate that Drew had his Patriots career and nearly his life ended for the Brady era to begin. I've always liked how Drew got to come in the AFC Championship game and contribute to that championship team in some way on the field. It got Drew a little redemption on the way out.

 

[203Pat]

I agree. I think 2002 would’ve been the last season. Brady may have been cut and gone elsewhere by the new Coach as they use a draft pick on a QB.

After thinking about it, it would take some balls to ask an Owner you just signed a QB to a $100M dollar deal to and say it’s not working.

This is my thing. Everyone thinks about the Bill we know now. The Bill with six rings that uses AFCCG trophies for door stops. Entering the 2001 season Bill was a different guy and Drew was a number one overall pick, 3x pro bowler, led the team to the super bowl, and was fresh off the largest contract in history. I can't imagine many owners are going to dump that guy for a coach who fizzed out once before and went 5-11 his first year as your HC.

 

[TheRainMaker]

This is my thing. Everyone thinks about the Bill we know now. The Bill with six rings that uses AFCCG trophies for door stops. Entering the 2001 season Bill was a different guy and Drew was a number one overall pick, 3x pro bowler, led the team to the super bowl, and was fresh off the largest contract in history. I can't imagine many owners are going to dump that guy for a coach who fizzed out once before and went 5-11 his first year as your HC.

Yep, Bill didn’t have the clout yet. Bill was 5-13 at his second stint at HC and he wants to bench a $100M QB? That wouldn’t sit well with Bob.

 

[sb1]

1:01:35 almost deja vu but he got back up and was fired up. So was his team and so was Brady. Love it!

 

[BennyBledsoe]

Maybe change it to "The Legend Begins Day" or something like that?

 

[Hyped]

Foxboro Stadium, Section 121, Row 18, & Seat #22.... I was there with perfect line sight of that hit...

 

[BradytoMosstoGronk]

Definitely bittersweet, cause it propelled the franchise in the winning direction at the cost of a scary hit/Injury.

Still a big fan of Drew. Same Alma mater as him, and hes a good dude.

 

[sb1]

Maybe change it to "The Legend Begins Day" or something like that?

Changed it. Better I think…

 

[NewEraWithMac]

And 20 years later, Tom Brady is a completely different human being. An insufferable one. I wonder which of his inner circle loser buddies will tell us next how abused Tommy Diva was and how much of a victim he was being drafted and developed by BB in NE? Can't wait for Giselle to chime in next to tell us how perfect her Tommy is and how he never made a mistake or was treated so poorly by the big meanie, Bill Belichick.

What a gutless loser:

Alex Guerrero: Bill Belichick treated Tom Brady like a 20-year-old kid, not a 40-year-old man

Alex Guerrero, Tom Brady's personal fitness guru and TB12 business partner, was often viewed as a source of discord between Brady and Bill Belichick.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

When Bledsoe left, I felt bad for him, but he was nothing but absolute class. Brady is a classless loser who ruined his legacy on the way out the door. He will never be seen in the same light as Williams, Russell, Orr or Bird. Or, even Ray Bourque who left here to win somewhere else after the horrible Jacobs Family's pathetic support of him.

For him to imply he wasn't supported or treated unfairly is beyond pathetic.

 

[venecol]

I am not entirely sure what you mean by this. Obviously when Drew Bledsoe got hit so hard that he could have died without medical attention then yes, most coaches not named Mike Tomlin would probably put the backup QB in to finish the game.

But let us not employ revisionist history. As the season progressed and Bledsoe recovered, Belichick was under TREMENDOUS pressure (from some) to give the starting job back to Bledsoe, and TREMENDOUS criticism (from some) when he didn't. An awful lot of coaches would not have stayed with Brady.

Yea I'm embarrassed to admit I was pro Bledsoe and wanted him back. Thought Brady was a co**ky little sh!!t. Boy am I glad I was soooooooo wrong. Lol

 

[NewEraWithMac]

Yep, Bill didn’t have the clout yet. Bill was 5-13 at his second stint at HC and he wants to bench a $100M QB? That wouldn’t sit well with Bob.

Kraft traded a 1st rd pick for BB. He wasn't going anywhere. BB inherited a Browns-level mess in 1991 and a Grier/Carroll mess in 2000. It doesn't matter what the record is in 2000. He wanted to get his own guys in there. Those guys were losers that Carroll brought in and the environment was like a country club per McGinest and others.

How anyone would put that on BB in 2000 is beyond me. What he did in one year is legendary in 2001. From the draft, to the FA moves, all working at once, to the promotion of Brady and the balls that took, to the whole thing.

It's so weird to me people want to hold BB responsible for someone else's disaster.

 

[TheRainMaker]

And 20 years later, Tom Brady is a completely different human being. An insufferable one. I wonder which of his inner circle loser buddies will tell us next how abused Tommy Diva was and how much of a victim he was being drafted and developed by BB in NE? Can't wait for Giselle to chime in next to tell us how perfect her Tommy is and how he never made a mistake or was treated so poorly by the big meanie, Bill Belichick.

What a gutless loser:

Alex Guerrero: Bill Belichick treated Tom Brady like a 20-year-old kid, not a 40-year-old man

Alex Guerrero, Tom Brady's personal fitness guru and TB12 business partner, was often viewed as a source of discord between Brady and Bill Belichick.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

When Bledsoe left, I felt bad for him, but he was nothing but absolute class. Brady is a classless loser who ruined his legacy on the way out the door. He will never be seen in the same light as Williams, Russell, Orr or Bird. Or, even Ray Bourque who left here to win somewhere else after the horrible Jacobs Family's pathetic support of him.

For him to imply he wasn't supported or treated unfairly is beyond pathetic.

How will you feel when he wins his 8th this year?

 

[italian pat patriot]

I was too a huge Drew Bledsoe fan...
I remember the feeling i had when he was drafted
He created hopes and future
When he was hit i was extremely sorry

Brady success and wins are another story