Tom Brady's "Rivals", False GOATs and Hangers-On

[sean10mm]

1. Peyton Manning - The guy Brady was compared to from the beginning, the most hyped rivalry of the 2000s and into the 2010s. For maybe a decade it was a big topic of debate but ultimately Peyton got buried in terms of playoff and Super Bowl success, and Brady also took his regular season touchdown record.
2. Eli Manning - A weird one where Eli beat Brady twice in the Super Bowl but had an overall career so much worse than Brady's that it kind of stopped being a thing almost as fast as it flared up. Eli probably gets in the hall on the cachet of beating Brady twice.
3. Joe Flacco - Like a junior version of Eli, Flacco gave Brady a tough time in the playoffs in the 2010s but was ultimately a 1 ring guy with pedestrian stats.
4. Ben Roethlisberger - Well, it was supposed to be, but Brady kept beating the Steelers like the red-headed stepchild of a rented mule and then he got fat lol
5. Mark Sanchez - Just kidding , but for a hot minute the Ryan-Sanchez New York Jets were a real threat until the wheels fell of and it became a joke.
6. Aaron Rodgers - Kind of an indirect rivalry since the teams barely played each other, but he was regularly floated as a historically great challenger to Brady's throne but only has 1 ring at 37 years old and Brady has a 3-1 regular season record against him, including serious curb-stompings in 2018 and 2020 before winning the NFCCG against him.
7. Drew Brees - Another more indirect one since they rarely played over their careers, mostly a case of him being hyped for big volume numbers he briefly held records for. Brady lost his last 2 regular season games to Brees, only to turn around and beat the Saints in the divisional round and Brees retired, so whelp.
8. Russell Wilson - A blink and you'll miss it one, the Seahawks executed Peyton Manning in SB48 and got to play Tom Brady in SB49, leading to some hype that he would be the new guy. Then the Butler did it.
9. Patrick Mahomes - The endlessly hyped baby GOAT. Brady beat him in the 2018 AFCCG and SB55, which kind of takes the shine off but I suspect they won't shut up about this one until Brady retires.

Did I forget anybody?

 

[PatsWSB47]

Kurt Warner?

 

[sean10mm]

Kurt Warner?

I feel like dropped off the map real fast after that Super Bowl, then had a nice couple years in Arizona at the end.

 

[Tony2046]

Mac Jones

- doesn't have a losing record to TB.

- became a starting QB in his rookie year. Brady had to wait almost two years before he was "maybe" the starter.

- won a national championship. Brady played in a tangerine bowl or something. Who knows and who cares. It wasn't a big deal.

- Mac eats real food.

I think Brady has some competition for the GOAT status from Mac which is impressive considering it's just his rookie year.

 

[PatriotReign]

Mac Jones

- doesn't have a losing record to TB.

- became a starting QB in his rookie year. Brady had to wait almost two years before he was "maybe" the starter.

- won a national championship. Brady played in a tangerine bowl or something. Who knows and who cares. It wasn't a big deal.

- Mac eats real food.

I think Brady has some competition for the GOAT status from Mac which is impressive considering it's just his rookie year.

Brady has a National Championship.

 

[venecol]

1. Peyton Manning - The guy Brady was compared to from the beginning, the most hyped rivalry of the 2000s and into the 2010s. For maybe a decade it was a big topic of debate but ultimately Peyton got buried in terms of playoff and Super Bowl success, and Brady also took his regular season touchdown record.
2. Eli Manning - A weird one where Eli beat Brady twice in the Super Bowl but had an overall career so much worse than Brady's that it kind of stopped being a thing almost as fast as it flared up. Eli probably gets in the hall on the cachet of beating Brady twice.
3. Joe Flacco - Like a junior version of Eli, Flacco gave Brady a tough time in the playoffs in the 2010s but was ultimately a 1 ring guy with pedestrian stats.
4. Ben Roethlisberger - Well, it was supposed to be, but Brady kept beating the Steelers like the red-headed stepchild of a rented mule and then he got fat lol
5. Mark Sanchez - Just kidding , but for a hot minute the Ryan-Sanchez New York Jets were a real threat until the wheels fell of and it became a joke.
6. Aaron Rodgers - Kind of an indirect rivalry since the teams barely played each other, but he was regularly floated as a historically great challenger to Brady's throne but only has 1 ring at 37 years old and Brady has a 3-1 regular season record against him, including serious curb-stompings in 2018 and 2020 before winning the NFCCG against him.
7. Drew Brees - Another more indirect one since they rarely played over their careers, mostly a case of him being hyped for big volume numbers he briefly held records for. Brady lost his last 2 regular season games to Brees, only to turn around and beat the Saints in the divisional round and Brees retired, so whelp.
8. Russell Wilson - A blink and you'll miss it one, the Seahawks executed Peyton Manning in SB48 and got to play Tom Brady in SB49, leading to some hype that he would be the new guy. Then the Butler did it.
9. Patrick Mahomes - The endlessly hyped baby GOAT. Brady beat him in the 2018 AFCCG and SB55, which kind of takes the shine off but I suspect they won't shut up about this one until Brady retires.

Did I forget anybody?

Mac Jones

 

[sb1]

Cam Newton

 

[sb1]

Chad Pennington
Bledsoe when he was in Buffalo

Matt Cassel. I mean there’s this thread….

The Official 'Trade Brady' Debate Thread - Do Not Start Another One

This is going here for one reason and one reason only. I understand there are some who want to speculate, even though most of these same people were ready to kick Cassel out in favor of O'Connell in week 3 yet now they feel he should be a good replacement for Brady. There are also some who...

www.patsfans.com

 

[venecol]

Did I forget anybody?

Jimmy G

 

[Tony2046]

Brady has a National Championship.

He doesn't. The freaking jag got carried to a Doritos bowl or something.

 

[sean10mm]

It's hard to tell who is serious and who is joking with some of these replies

Even though he played for the Jets and the Dolphins I kind of feel bad for Pennington in retrospect, he was a legit NFL player whose throwing ability was just destroyed by injuries.

It's funny looking back on Brady's "quarterback controversies" in retrospect, Cassel had 1 watchable season and died and the 49ers just burned the #3 overall pick to try to replace Jimmy G.

 

[sb1]

It's hard to tell who is serious and who is joking with some of these replies

Even though he played for the Jets and the Dolphins I kind of feel bad for Pennington in retrospect, he was a legit NFL player whose throwing ability was just destroyed by injuries.

It's funny looking back on Brady's "quarterback controversies" in retrospect, Cassel had 1 watchable season and died and the 49ers just burned the #3 overall pick to try to replace Jimmy G.

I mentioned Pennington cause he was compared a lot to Brady back in his Jets days.

Good QB and so accurate until his injuries made his career cave in.

 

[amfootball]

Did Jake Delhomme make this list? He was the first one IIRC when we played his Panthers in 2003. He was the next Brady.

 

[maust]

He doesn't. The freaking jag got carried to a Doritos bowl or something.

Close, you should have consulted my man Thumby. Brady may not have been carried himself but he did carry Brian Griese's water on Michigan's last championship team in '97. He even threw a handful of passes that year.

 

[maust]

Did I forget anybody?

(dis)Honorable mentions to Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger and Spergon Wynn. Collectively known as The Brady Six?

 

[sean10mm]

(dis)Honorable mentions to Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger and Spergon Wynn. Collectively known as The Brady Six?

I feel like these guys got blown by so fast they never became real rivals.

I mean, ultimately nobody was, but some of the "rivalries" could be measured on a calendar instead of a stopwatch haha

 

[sb1]

Another great thread:
The Official Cassel vs Brady thread - Per Ian | New England Patriots Forums - PatsFans.com Patriots Fan Messageboard

 

[maust]

I feel like these guys got blown by so fast they never became real rivals.

I mean, ultimately nobody was, but some of the "rivalries" could be measured on a calendar instead of a stopwatch haha

Hence the (dis) in front of the 'honorable'
Since it has always rankled The GOAT they were chosen before him I just thought they were worth mentioning

 

[MahomestoKelce]

Mahomes not only needs to win the SB this season. But he needs to do it against Brady. Beating Prescott or Stafford in the big game doesn't get him closer to Brady.

This is according to certain toxic media members.

Ugh.

 

[venecol]

Mahomes not only needs to win the SB this season. But he needs to do it against Brady. Beating Prescott or Stafford in the big game doesn't get him closer to Brady.

This is according to certain toxic media members.

Ugh.

What if Mahomes doesn't make it to the SB?