The Birth of Tom Brady

It was October 14, 2001.  Three weeks have passed since Drew Bledsoe was injured by Mo Lewis of the NY Jets. Tom Brady, the lanky 6^th rounder out of Michigan, was making his third start versus the San Diego Chargers. I was in attendance that day and was yet again a witness to Boston Sports History.

The Patriots were continuing their up and down season. They lost 10-3 to the Jets at home and lost their franchise quarterback for an indefinite amount of time.  The Colts were being viewed as the greatest offense every assembled after putting up 87 points over the first two weeks of the season. With Tom Brady acting as game manager and with a running attack that put up 177 yards, the Patriots blasted the Colts 44-13.

After the promising and unexpected triumph over the Colts, the Patriots look putrid the following week versus the Dolphins in Miami. The Patriots lost 30-10 and Tom Brady could only muster 86 yards passing versus the smothering Dolphins D. The Pats stood at 1-3 and their season already in peril.

The Chargers came into Foxboro at 3-1 after a disappointing loss to the Cleveland Browns the week before. The last thing the Patriots wanted on their hands is an angry team. A team which had rookie and soon to be Fantasy Football stud LaDanian Tomlinson in the backfield and local sports hero Doug Flutie at the helm.

Did I think the Patriots had a shot? No not really, but as I mentioned before the glory days, a football game was just a social gathering to catch up with old friends. Wow, how three championships change everything!

However, this was not your average mismatched football game. I was about witness Tom Brady bud into the star and leader that he has become. The San Diego game would be his first of many improbable comebacks.

The game was a like an Old West gunfight. Who would flinch first and end up eating dust and lead on the dry ground? The Patriots and Chargers exchanged scores for most of the game. However, the Chargers would pull away to a 26-16 lead with a defensive TD on a fumble return with the game winding down.

I turned to my friend, Anthony and said “Let’s get out of here. They are done!” He said no let’s stick around. My friend Anthony knew as much about sports and as I know about nuclear fission, but I said what the hell.

Glad I did! Tom Brady led drives which resulted in a FG and a game tying TD to tight end and East Boston native, Jermaine Wiggins. Brady was no longer the timid game manager but now the field captain marching his team down the field with leadership and an ever burning competitive fire.

The game went to overtime and there was no way Brady was going to let this slip away. He drove the team into field goal range and future 2-time Super Bowl winning kicker, Adam Vinatieri drove home the 23 yard gamer winner. Foxboro stadium was going ballistic! I couldn’t believe this Brady kid was for real.

For real, indeed. Brady finished the game 33 for 54 for 364 yards and 2 TDs.  He was now putting up Bledsoesque numbers. There was something different about Brady, he seemed so calm in the pocket and didn’t make the Bledsoesque blunders.  On October 14^th, 2001, Tom Brady came into his own and has never looked back. And I was there….

Joe Gill is a featured blogger for Boston Sports Then and Now and Trufan.com