Comparing Brady's twilight to GOATs in other sports
Tom Brady's place among the greats is unquestioned. By orchestrating an epic 25-point comeback to win last year's Super Bowl in overtime, Brady solidified his standing as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
He's further cementing his legend with his exploits in 2017.
At 40 years old, the New England Patriots quarterback put on another MVP-worthy campaign and is on the brink of winning his sixth Super Bowl. It would be a record for most rings as a player.
His level of success is astonishing and what he's doing in the third act of his career may be unrivaled.
Compared to the greats in other sports, it appears Brady has had the most sustained greatness. He's certainly enjoying his twilight more than some other GOATs.
Just take a look at the numbers.
Brady vs. Michael Jordan
Brady is preparing to make his eighth career Super Bowl appearance in his 18th season. Michael Jordan, generally regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, finished his illustrious career toiling with the Washington Wizards.
He retired for three years and took a front-office role with the Wizards, but returned to the court in 2001 and averaged more than 20 points per game for two more seasons in D.C.
Jordan didn't play into his 40s like Brady has. He last played at 39 during the 2002-03 season. Here's how Brady's latest season compared to Jordan's last:
| Brady | Jordan | |
|---|---|---|
| 13-3 (T1) | Team Record | 37-45 (20th) |
| 4577 (1st) | Pass Yards/Points | 1640 (18th) |
| 66.3 (5th) | Comp. Pct./FG Pct. | .445 (158th*) |
| 32 (3rd) | TDs/3 pt. Pct | .291 (197th*) |
| 8 (T4) | INTs/TOs | 173 (381st*) |
| 16 | Games | 82 |
| 18th season | Experience | 15th season |
| Likely | MVP | No |
| Super Bowl participant | Titles | 0 |
* denotes ranking against all players
Late in his career, Touchdown Tom remains a leader in most offensive categories. On the basketball court, Jordan was by no means a poor player in his final seasons, but he couldn't reclaim the level of greatness that dominated the NBA in the early years of his career. His presence also did not rub off on the young Wizards.
Brady vs. Wayne Gretzky
The Golden Boy and the Great One.
Gretzky's greatness spanned two decades. He was named the NHL's Most Valuable Player a league-high nine times and continued collecting Hart Trophy votes into his penultimate season.
In his last year, playing with the New York Rangers at the age of 38, Gretzky collected the Lady Byng sportsmanship award, but his play on the ice took a dip.
| Brady | Gretzky | |
|---|---|---|
| 13-3 (T1) | Team Record | 33-38-11 (18th) |
| 4577 (1st) | Pass Yards/Points | 62 (33rd) |
| 66.3 (5th) | Comp Pct./PPG | 0.88 |
| 32 (3rd) | TDs/Goals | 9 (T226) |
| 8 (T4) | INTs/Plus-Minus | -23 (T799*) |
| 16 | Games | 70 |
| 18th season | Experience | 21st season |
| Likely | MVP | No |
| Super Bowl participant | Titles | 0 |
* denotes ranking against all players
While younger than Brady at the time of his retirement, Gretzky had three extra seasons on his ledger. In his last season, he scored fewer than 10 goals for only the second time in his career and averaged less than a point per game for the first time.
It's almost blasphemous to say, but Gretzky's play tailed off at the very end, whereas Brady appears to be sustaining his prime.
Brady vs. Roger Federer
When it comes to greats, Federer may be the athlete that best rivals Brady. At the 36 years old and playing a physically demanding sport, Federer captured his 20th career Grand Slam singles title last weekend.
His Australian Open win comes on the heels of a 2017 campaign in which the Swiss Maestro took home seven titles, including a victory at Wimbledon. He is currently the second-ranked player in the world.
Here's how Federer's 2017 stacked up with Brady's:
| Brady | Federer | |
|---|---|---|
| 13-3 (T1) | Record | 52-5 |
| 4577 (1st) | Pass Yards/Games Won | 684 (8th) |
| 66.3 (5th) | Comp. Pct./Serve Rating | 300.5 (3rd) |
| 32 (3rd) | TDs/Aces | 550 (10th) |
| 8 (T4) | INTs/Deciding Sets Won Pct. | 78.6 (2nd) |
| 16 | Games/Matches | 57 |
| 18th season | Experience | 21st season |
| Likely | MVP/Ranking | 2nd |
| Super Bowl participant | Titles | 7 (2 majors) |
Both competitors have the public questioning whether they're saving their best for last. Neither has anything left to prove, and no stone left to turn, but they continue on with machine-like efficiency.
In a comparison of legends, Brady and Federer appear to be the late greats. With a victory at Super Bowl LII on Sunday, Brady could ascend to the greatest of all.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
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