WEEI's 25 Years 25 Moments, Drafting Brady NOT #1?

[maust]

WEEI posted their version of the Pats 25 years 25 Moments as we hit the century's quarter pole

25 Years, 25 Moments: New England Patriots | WEEI 93.7

As 2025 comes to a close, WEEI.com is ranking the 25 most significant moments from 2000 to 2025 for all four professional teams in Boston. Monday sees the release of the 25 most significant moments for the New England Patriots. | WEEI 93.7

www.audacy.com

They have SB XXVI as number one and drafting Brady at 4. They are wrong of course but I'm guessing they placed 3 SB games ahead of drafting Brady for the 'moment' value. Certainly drafting Brady was the greatest single thing this franchise ever did but if we're honest at the moment it happened no one but Brady thought so. Similarly they have signing Belichick at 12 and the Mo Lewis hit at 11. I'd have drafting Brady at 1, signing Belichick at 2 and the Mo Lewis hit at 3 because none of the rest of the list happens without those 3 happening first. From there I'd definitely have SB XXXVI at 4. The rest are open to debate so feel free to have at it

They also chose to not include drafting Maye but wrote in a disclaimer they felt it was too soon

 

[Pape]

Thanks for posting this ...

25 for 25... yeesh, not sure i could do a list like this...

They did get the SB wins in the correct order though... so there's that

 

[Pape]

I'd have drafting Brady at 1, signing Belichick at 2

I think any list of this type has to have drafting Brady at 1... No issue with Bill coming in at number 2 in this instance... nor should anyone, really...

I would not have had the Mo Lewis hit on this list at all... I think its in poor taste and is implied later on - you want to have BB naming TB12 the starter on the list? thats cool... but "celebrating" the Bledsoe hit is in poor taste... my thoughts on it, ymmv

 

[maust]

EEI's flawed list

25. 2017 AFCCG vs Jags
24. Patriots and Bill Belichick “mutually agree” to part ways
23. Tom Brady leaves Patriots, signs with Tampa Bay
22. Tom Brady tears ACL in Week 1 vs. Chiefs
21. “The Ty Law Game” - Patriots win 2003 AFC Championship
20. Spygate penalties announced by Roger Goodell
19. Deflategate: NFL announces Brady’s four-game suspension
18. Manningham makes the catch, Patriots lose Super Bowl XLVI
17. Drew Bledsoe leads Patriots past Steelers in 2001 AFCCG
16. Patriots complete a 16-0 regular season
15. Belichick benches Butler, Patriots lose Super Bowl LII
14. Belichick names Brady permanent starter over Bledsoe
13. 2014 AFC Divisional Round win vs. Ravens
12. Patriots hire Belichick
11. Mo Lewis hits Bledsoe
10. 2018 AFCCG vs Chiefs
9. Super Bowl LIII win vs. Rams
8. Super Bowl XXXVIII win vs. Panthers
7. Super Bowl XXXIX win vs Eagles
6. Super Bowl XLII loss to Giants
5. Snow Bowl vs. Raiders
4. Brady drafted 199th overall
3.Super Bowl LI - the 28-3 comeback vs. Falcons
2.Super Bowl XLIX - Malcolm Butler’s interception vs. Seahawks
1. Super Bowl XXXVI win vs Rams

 

[maust]

I think any list of this type has to have drafting Brady at 1... No issue with Bill coming in at number 2 in this instance... nor should anyone, really...

I would not have had the Mo Lewis hit on this list at all... I think its in poor taste and is implied later on - you want to have BB naming TB12 the starter on the list? thats cool... but "celebrating" the Bledsoe hit is in poor taste... my thoughts on it, ymmv

The list is EEI's, we might not have selected the same 25. My original critique was regarding their top 3. The Bledsoe injury is on their list and if it's going to be there it was certainly bigger than all but signing Belichick and drafting Brady. Me, I'd have left if out entirely and worked in drafting Maye and bringing in Vrabel in my top 25.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Since they are going by "significant moments" where "not all moments of significance are covered in glory", losing SB42 is the biggest upset and loss in sports history. Pats set numerous records and lost to a 6th seed. That should be #1 unfortunately.

Speaking of that, going 16-0 should be way higher on the list. Uh...nobody has ever won that many games in a row in one season.

Drafting Tom Brady shouldn't really be included as that moment was an afterthought.

I'd include the 2003 goal line stand in Indy. Had Indy scored, The Cots wins the tiebreaker and takes the #1 seed at 13-3.

Releasing Lawyer Milloy should be on there.

Aaron Hernandez arrest and finding out his dark history was a very significant moment for the franchise.

 

[NFL Mystique]

You could argue for the 28-3 comeback ahead of SB 36. But either one is fine.

Fair or not, they got SB 42 right. It was a moment. Overall, it might be the darkest moment in franchise history.

 

[maust]

Fair or not, they got SB 42 right. It was a moment. Overall, it might be the darkest moment in franchise history.

Most painful fan moment of the past 25 years, the darkest was definitely the murderer and WEEI avoided it altogether. Keeping the Pats from being haunted and unraveling by the Hernandez revelations was a peak Belichick accomplishment IMO

 

[NFL Mystique]

Most painful fan moment of the past 25 years, the darkest was definitely the murderer and WEEI avoided it altogether. Keeping the Pats from being haunted and unraveling by the Hernandez revelations was a peak Belichick accomplishment IMO

The painful part was that it took miracle plays for the Giants to win.

 

[Pape]

Fair or not, they got SB 42 right. It was a moment. Overall, it might be the darkest moment in franchise history.

more than Hernandez? which has to be the darkest hour in team history... there are a few more that could considered as well, but AH, man that was a travesty

Game wise? absolutely spot on... but in the overall scope of things?

 

[sb1]

This list has to be of events that happened in the moment so gotta go with Super Bowl 36 as #1. That will always be the best one to me.

Drafting Brady in hindsight was obviously the best thing the Patriots ever did but in the moment at the time it was just a 2 minute mention and that's it.

 

[sb1]

EEI's flawed list

25. 2017 AFCCG vs Jags
24. Patriots and Bill Belichick “mutually agree” to part ways
23. Tom Brady leaves Patriots, signs with Tampa Bay
22. Tom Brady tears ACL in Week 1 vs. Chiefs
21. “The Ty Law Game” - Patriots win 2003 AFC Championship
20. Spygate penalties announced by Roger Goodell
19. Deflategate: NFL announces Brady’s four-game suspension
18. Manningham makes the catch, Patriots lose Super Bowl XLVI
17. Drew Bledsoe leads Patriots past Steelers in 2001 AFCCG
16. Patriots complete a 16-0 regular season
15. Belichick benches Butler, Patriots lose Super Bowl LII
14. Belichick names Brady permanent starter over Bledsoe
13. 2014 AFC Divisional Round win vs. Ravens
12. Patriots hire Belichick
11. Mo Lewis hits Bledsoe
10. 2018 AFCCG vs Chiefs
9. Super Bowl LIII win vs. Rams
8. Super Bowl XXXVIII win vs. Panthers
7. Super Bowl XXXIX win vs Eagles
6. Super Bowl XLII loss to Giants
5. Snow Bowl vs. Raiders
4. Brady drafted 199th overall
3.Super Bowl LI - the 28-3 comeback vs. Falcons
2.Super Bowl XLIX - Malcolm Butler’s interception vs. Seahawks
1. Super Bowl XXXVI win vs Rams

Surprised the the 2010 division round loss isn't on the list. Wasn't as devastating as SB42 but it made me more angry. The 2010 Patriots one of the best teams in franchise history had no business losing at home to a loudmouth Jets team who got to mock us before and after the game. Same team the Patriots squashed in historic fashion a couple months earlier.

 

[maust]

Surprised the the 2010 division round loss isn't on the list. Wasn't as devastating as SB42 but it made me more angry. The 2010 Patriots one of the best teams in franchise history had no business losing at home to a loudmouth Jets team who got to mock us before and after the game. Same team the Patriots squashed in historic fashion a couple months earlier.

That one still rankles, just an inexcusable loss to a Jete team they were clearly superior to. So much went wrong in that one but the one play that stands out in my mind's eye was the disastrous direct snap fake punt to Chung. Too cute by half and it symbolized the way the Pat's just consistently played Russian roulette with field position in that debacle of a game I was ripshit during and after that game, not sure I've ever been more angry at a loss. You hit the nail on the head, the two SB losses to the Giants were more devastating but to this day I'm still flat out angry about that game. The smartest guys in the room beat themselves smdh

 

[NFL Mystique]

more than Hernandez? which has to be the darkest hour in team history... there are a few more that could considered as well, but AH, man that was a travesty

Game wise? absolutely spot on... but in the overall scope of things?

Darkest in terms of the game itself. Not life.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Surprised the the 2010 division round loss isn't on the list. Wasn't as devastating as SB42 but it made me more angry. The 2010 Patriots one of the best teams in franchise history had no business losing at home to a loudmouth Jets team who got to mock us before and after the game. Same team the Patriots squashed in historic fashion a couple months earlier.

Rex Ryan made adjustments and forced NE to test them on the outside which they couldn't do. What the Pats were doing in 2010 was mirage and the trading Moss came back to bite them in the ass.

On the other hand, allowing Mark Sanchez to carve them up in the 2nd half was inexcusable and one of Bill's worst moments. This was now 4 straight years his defenses had collapsed in playoff games.

 

[sb1]

On the other hand, allowing Mark Sanchez to carve them up in the 2nd half was inexcusable and one of Bill's worst moments. This was now 4 straight years his defenses had collapsed in playoff games.

Yep. Also felt like a preview of the defense bottoming out in 2011.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Yep. Also felt like a preview of the defense bottoming out in 2011.

Even with what Rex Ryan game planned for in 2010, the Jets had absolutely no business winning that game. Pats would've embarrassed the Steelers in the AFCCG and gone in a shootout with GB in the Super Bowl.

2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 saw the defense collapsing in big moments. 2013 they were just overmatched as a team. They were bailed out by a Butler INT from going on 7 straight years of collapses. Had the Seahawks scored and won the game, I think Tom and Bill would've parted ways.

 

[sb1]

Even with what Rex Ryan game planned for in 2010, the Jets had absolutely no business winning that game. Pats would've embarrassed the Steelers in the AFCCG and gone in a shootout with GB in the Super Bowl.

2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 saw the defense collapsing in big moments. 2013 they were just overmatched as a team. They were bailed out by a Butler INT from going on 7 straight years of collapses. Had the Seahawks scored and won the game, I think Tom and Bill would've parted ways.

People give Bill so much credit for that timeout but I think it's one of those rolls of the dice where you're a genius if it works and a the biggest idiot ever if it doesn't.

 

[Steve102]

People give Bill so much credit for that timeout but I think it's one of those rolls of the dice where you're a genius if it works and a the biggest idiot ever if it doesn't.

That's easy to say watching at home. You watch him... watching Pete Carroll and Bill's got ice in his veins compared to what he's watching at the other sideline. Then there's another layer of the coaches on the headset asking for the time out and Bill's cool as a cucumber going "yeah I got it.".

Legendary.

The amount of pressure in that moment is mind-blowing, yet Bill simply didn't react. He stayed cool and calculated and handled it.

 

[sb1]

That's easy to say watching at home. You watch him... watching Pete Carroll and Bill's got ice in his veins compared to what he's watching at the other sideline. Then there's another layer of the coaches on the headset asking for the time out and Bill's cool as a cucumber going "yeah I got it.".

Legendary.

The amount of pressure in that moment is mind-blowing, yet Bill simply didn't react. He stayed cool and calculated and handled it.

The crazy thing about it is Butler HAD to pick it off. If he just knocked it down the Seahawks get one more shot and this time they go to Lynch.