The battle of Tom vs Time is coming to an end

In the sixth round of the 2000 NFL draft, the New England Patriots took a gamble on a quarterback from Michigan. Nobody could have predicted what he would become, not even himself. It is quite rare that such a late draft pick turns out to be a superstar, or even a starter, but Tom Brady was the exception.

During his time with New England, Brady would collect six championships, four Super Bowl MVPs and three NFL MVP awards. Along with countless other accolades, he had solidified himself as the best player to ever step foot on the field. Shockingly, in 2020, Tom Brady declared that he would not re-sign with the Patriots, but with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

As expected, Brady continued his legacy with another outstanding season, this time in Tampa Bay. In his first season there, he led the Buccaneers to their second championship after a 20-year drought. The following season was yet again another stand-out season for the then 44-year-old quarterback, but they fell short in the Divisional Round.

History would lead one to believe that the current season would be another one for the record books, but Brady has fallen shy of expectations. With a 3-4 start to the season, the Buccaneers had fallen to the Packers, Chiefs, Steelers, and Panthers; three of those teams being sub-.500 and teams who should be no match for, arguably, the best football player ever.

The loss to the Panthers was devastating, as the Buccaneers were double-digit favorites, only to lose 21-3. While Tom Brady is not the only person to blame for the team’s recent disappointing performance, it is likely that the 45-year-old quarterback who is going through a news-worthy divorce is not playing at his normal level. Watching him play has become painful; he looks sluggish moving in the backfield and seems to be more short-tempered than usual. Perhaps the best throw he has made all season came from the bench, when he spiked a Microsoft tablet out of frustration.

Brady has been known to turn any team around, regardless of what talent they have. And while Tampa Bay failed to give him a star-studded lineup, they rightfully expected him to make it work as he has for nearly two decades. Even though the Buccaneers team has several great receivers, they cannot succeed without a good quarterback at the reins.

Seeing Tom Brady outside of the top five quarterbacks is rare, but understandable given his stats. There are players in the league with more than double the number of touchdowns he has thrown this season, and some with much higher passer ratings. It is clear that he can no longer keep up with his younger counterparts, many of which grew up watching him play on television. 

For the past several seasons, he had done the impossible for his age, but it seems that time has caught up with him. Seeing a legacy crumble to the ground is disheartening, but the real retirement announcement that should come following this season will be met with well-wishes and congratulatory messages from his teammates, opponents, and fans as they honor his unforgettable career.