We all know the season Tom Brady had he set records and he won the MVP so that should say it all. But I think we should take a look not only at Brady’s season but his remarkable career.

Everyone is well aware that Brady was a 6th round pick by the Patriots out of Michigan but I don’t think even the geniuses in the New England front office had this in mind when they selected the most important player in team history in April 2000.

Brady set or tied 10 franchise records and 18 NFL records this season. While his record setting season is one for the ages, it’s just a small part of what maybe one of the best careers ever for a NFL quarterback.

Among quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era Brady has the top regular season winning percentage. With a minimum of 50 starts the top three are:

  • Tom Brady New England 86-24 .782
  • Roger Staubach Dallas 85-29 .726
  • Joe Montana San Francisco/Kansas City 117-47 .713

He is tied for the most wins in his first 100 starts:

  • Tom Brady 76
  • Roger Staubach 76
  • Ken Stabler 72
  • Terry Bradshaw 68
  • Joe Montana 68
  • Brett Favre 68

He is the second winningest QB in the playoffs:

  • Bart Starr .900 9-1
  • Tom Brady .867 13-2
  • Jim Plunkett .800 8-2

Since 1970 the winningest quarterback/coach combo’s are:

  • Brady/Belichick 86-24 .782
  • Manning/Dungy 73-23 .760
  • Stabler/Madden 60-19-1 .756
  • McMahon/Ditka 46-15 .754

But where Brady really excels is in the close calls and comeback wins. A close call is defined as a game won by less than a touchdown and a comeback win is a win from a fourth quarter deficit or tie. In these two categories Brady is amazing.

In close call games he is 30-5 (6-1 in post season) and he has 28 comeback wins including 6 of his 13 playoff victories and 3 times in Super Bowls. The 28 comeback wins are the most for any quarterback since 2001.

This season alone he had 4 games in each category and they were the same four games.

  • Nov 4 at Indy he was trailing 20-10 with 9:42 left to play and they won 24-20.
  • Nov 25 v Phi he was trailing 28-24 with 15:00 left to play and they won 31-28.
  • Dec 3 at Balt he was trailing 24-17 with 14:25 left to play and they won 27-24.
  • Dec 29 at NYG he was trailing 28-23 with 15:00 left to play and they won 31-28.

For Brady it doesn’t matter if he’s at home or on the road his record is impeccable, including the playoffs he is 52-10 in Foxboro and 47-16 in all other stadiums. His 99-26 career mark also includes 39-2 on artificial turf, 76-3 when leading at halftime and 7-0 in overtime.

All I know is that on any given Sunday if his team is in striking distance he has to put fear into the other team. I know I wouldn’t want to be coaching or playing against the guy who has more comeback wins than anyone in the NFL in the last 7 seasons.

And just for your viewing pleasure here is a look in print at Brady’s 2007 season.

Franchise records set by Brady in 2007:

  • Most touchdown passes in a season (50).
  • Most passing yards in a season (4,806).
  • Highest completion percentage in a season (68.9 pct.).
  • Highest passer rating in a season (117.2).
  • Most touchdown passes in a game (6, 10/21/07).
  • Highest completion percentage in a regular-season or playoff game (92.9 percent, 26-28, 1/12/08).
  • Most career touchdown passes (197).
  • Highest single-game passer rating (158.3, 10/21/07).
  • Highest touchdown-interception differential in a single season (+42)
  • Most games with three or more touchdown passes in a season (12).

NFL records set by Brady this year:

  • Most touchdown passes in a season (50).
  • Highest completion percentage in a regular-season or playoff game (92.9 percent, 26-28, 1/12/08).
  • Most games with three or more touchdown passes in a season (12).
  • Highest touchdown-interception differential in a season (+42)
  • Most consecutive games with three or more touchdown passes (10).
  • Most consecutive games with three or more touchdown passes to begin a season (10 games, 9/9/07 to 11/18/07).
  • Most touchdown passes in a single month (20, October).
  • Most touchdown passes in first 10 games (38).
  • Most touchdown passes in first nine games (33).
  • Most touchdown passes in first eight games (30).
  • Most touchdown passes in first seven games (27).
  • Most touchdown passes in first six games (21).
  • Most consecutive completions to begin a playoff game (16, 1/12/08).
  • Most consecutive games with completion pct. of 75% or higher in a single season (4, 9/9/07 to 10/1/07).
  • Most completions in first 100 passes of a season (79).
  • Most touchdown passes in a game since 1970 AFL-NFL Merger (6 on 10/21/07; tied with 11 others).
  • Highest single-game passer rating (perfect 158.3 rating, 10/21/07; 17th time since 1970).
  • Most victories in first 100 starts in the Super Bowl Era (76, tied with Roger Staubach).

Awards won by Brady in 2007:

  • Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player
  • Associated Press All-Pro: First Team
  • Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year
  • Associated Press NFL Offensive Player of the Year
  • Sporting News Sportsman of the Year
  • AFC Pro Bowl Starter
  • Pro Football Weekly/PFWA NFL Most Valuable Player
  • Pro Football Weekly/PFWA All-NFL Team
  • ESPN.com All-Pro Team
  • Dr. Z’s SI.com All-Pro Team
  • NFL Alumni Quarterback of the Year
  • NFL 101 Award: AFC Offensive Player of the Year
  • USA Today NFL Most Valuable Player
  • Dallas Morning News NFL Most Valuable Player
  • Fort Worth Star-Telegram NFL Most Valuable Player
  • San Francisco Chronicle NFL Most Valuable Player
  • San Francisco Chronicle Offensive Player of the Year
  • San Francisco Chronicle All-Pro Team
  • Fort Worth Star-Telegram All-Pro Team
  • AFC Offensive Player of the Month (Sept.)
  • AFC Offensive Player of the Month (Oct.)
  • AFC Offensive Player of the Week (Wk. 3)
  • AFC Offensive Player of the Week (Wk. 6)
  • AFC Offensive Player of the Week (Wk. 7)
  • AFC Offensive Player of the Week (Wk. 14)
  • AFC Offensive Player of the Week (Wk. 17)
  • FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week (Wk. 6)
  • FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week (Wk. 7)
  • FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week (Wk. 11)
  • FedEx Air NFL Player of the Week (Wk. 17)

I think it’s safe to say that not only will Brady join the other great quarterbacks in Canton when his playing days are done, but he is putting in a claim for the best ever to play the position.  If he were to quarterback another Super Bowl winning team I think the argument is no longer who is better Manning or Brady but who is the greatest Brady or Montana.