Dear Coach,
Are we on to 2015, or what?
I hope I can lift my arm after typing this freaking resume - I had forgotten how repetitive and redundant resumes could be. But now that I think about it, that's kinda what you like: thorough, consistent and meticulous.
That's how we prepare for a game, and it does carry over - but once the game starts, my competitive nature takes over and I turn into - dare I say - the mythical gunslinger.
Now, I know that the quarterbacks you've dealt with before have been of the gunslinger variety - Kosar, Bledsoe and now me, and you've unceremoniously dumped both of the others much to the loud chagrin of the Browns and Patriots' faithful, respectively - but, as it turns out, those were the right moves as Kosar was declining in skill and Vinny Testaverde was an ascending talent - and I had already taken over for Drew and you wanted to avoid any more distraction in the form of a quarterback controversy...
...and you've had to coach against some of the best gunslingers there ever was, like Favre, Kelly, Marino and Elway to name only a few - but it is obvious that you respect the mentality of the gunslinger, a quarterback that will stand tall in the pocket and risk taking the big shot while firing downfield into a tight window. You're not one for gadgetry, per se, you like the old-school blood-and-guts style of play.
You've often referred to the 1976 Patriots' team as perhaps the most complete and best team in franchise history, and I've watched as you've tried to build these recent Patriots' teams in that image - but it looks as if the 2015 version is going to be as close as you've come to replication: big bruising running back, dominating tight end, a group of top shelf possession receivers and a big, nasty offensive line...
...ferocious front seven on defense backed up by a deep group of safeties on defense. That team had a young Mike Haynes leading a group of no-name corners, but who's to say that Malcolm or Logan or Robert can't have a similar impact? Not me.
The only difference is that I'm no Steve Grogan, perhaps the toughest bastard that ever played the position, but I try. Grogan could run, I just ooze. But he stood tall in the pocket and delivered the ball at the risk of pain. The guy had to play with a freaking neck roll after rupturing two vertebra in his neck.
By the end of his career, Grogan still stood tall in the pocket, scars all over his knees from five knee surgeries and screws inserted at the top of his fibula - hell, he played two seasons with a useless broken left hand.
Grogan was the model, the prototype. The relentless gunslinger that epitomized toughness and competitive spirit. He didn't set many records, but his toughness keeps him in the hearts of Patriots' fans everywhere, and when my career is done, I hope that Patriots' fans have a place in their hearts for me, a throwback with an old-school mentality.
I don't want to be remembered for that ridiculously long list of accomplishments on my resume below, and I don't want to be remembered for the awards and accolades. My lone wish is that the football world remembers me as a tough bastard who stood tall, fired bullets and won my share of shootouts with grit and determination.
I want to be remembered as a gunslinger - the best, someone that fans generations from now will know only as a dirt-chewing champion, and all the rest be damned.
Sincerely,
Tom
Resume'
Education:
University of Michigan
Work Experience:
2000 - Present - New England Patriots
Regular season: 7168 Pass Attempts, 4551 completions (63.5 avg.), 53,258 yards
392 touchdowns, 143 interceptions, Passer rating 95.9
470 rushing attempts, 823 yards (1.8 avg.), 14 touchdowns
Playoffs: 1085 Pass Attempts, 682 completions (62.9 avg.), 7345 yards
53 touchdowns, 26 interceptions, Passer rating 89.0
70 rushing attempts, 100 yards (1.4 avg.), 5 touchdowns
Awards:
2014 - Super Bowl Champion
2014 - Super Bowl VLIX Most Valuable Player
2014 - AFC Champion
2014 - Pro Bowl Selection
2013 - Pro Bowl Selection
2012 - Pro Bowl Selection
2011 - AFC Champion
2011 - AFC Offensive Player of the Year
2011 - Pro Bowl Selection
2010 - NFL Most Valuable Player
2010 - 1st Team All Pro Selection
2010 - Pro Bowl Selection
2010 - NFL Offensive Player of the Year
2010 - AFC Offensive Player of the Year
2009 - Pro Bowl Selection
2009 - NFL Comeback Player of the Year
2007 - NFL Most Valuable Player
2007 - !st Team All Pro Selection
2007 - AFC Champion
2007 - AFC Offensive Player of the Year
2007 - Pro Bowl Selection
2007 - AP Male Athlete of the Year
2007 - Bert Bell Award
2007 - Sporting News Sportsman of the Year
2005 - 2nd Team All Pro Selection
2005 - Pro Bowl Selection
2005 - Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year
2004 - Super Bowl Champion
2004 - AFC Champion
2004 - Pro Bowl Selection
2004 - Sporting News Sportsman of the Year
2003 - Super Bowl Champion
2003 - Super Bowl XXXVII Most Valuable Player
2003 - AFC Champion
2001 - Super Bowl Champion
2001 - Super Bowl XXXVI Most Valuable Player
2001 - AFC Champions
2001 - Pro Bowl Selection
1997 - NCAA National Football Champion
NFL Records:
* - denotes current streak
Most games 145+ passer rating - 13
Highest completion percentage playoff game - 92.9
Most passing yards, quarter - 252
Most TD passes as a visitor, season - 29
Most games 3+ TD passes, season - 13
Most TD passes, Season - 50
Most consecutive home games with TD pass - 47*
Most consecutive games 3+ TD passes - 12
Most passing TDs, quarter - 5
Most consecutive passes without an interception - 358
Most consecutive passes to start career without an interception - 162
Most consecutive games 200+ yards without interception - 11
Most consecutive games 250+ yards without interception - 10
Most consecutive games 300+ yards without interception - 8
Most consecutive games 350+ yards without interception - 6
Most consecutive games with 1+ TDs without an interception - 11
Most consecutive games with 2+ TDs without an interception - 9
Most consecutive games with 3+ TDs without an interception - 4
Most consecutive games with 5+ TDs without an interception - 2
Most games 1+ TDs without interception, season - 14
Most games 2+ TDs without interception, season - 11
Most games 3+ TDs without interception, season - 8
Most games 5+ TDs without interception, season - 3
Most games 20+ completions without an interception, season - 10
Most games 30+ completions without an interception, season - 5
Most games 30 pass attempts without an interception, season - 10
Super Bowl most passing attempts, career - 247*
Super Bowl most completions, career - 164*
Super Bowl most completions, game - 37
Super Bowl most completions in one half, game - 20
Super Bowl most passing yards, career - 1605*
Super Bowl most touchdown passes, career - 13*
Most playoff games, career - 29*
Most playoff games as starting quarterback, career - 29*
Most playoff games won, starting quarterback - career - 21*
Most playoff touchdown passes, career - 53*
Most playoff passing yards, career - 7345*
Most playoff passes attempted, career - 1085*
Most playoff passes completed, career - 683*
Most division titles for a starting quarterback - 12*
Most Conference Championship game appearances as a starting quarterback - 9*
Most Conference Championship games won as a starting quarterback - 6*
Personal Information:
Born - August 3, 1977 at San Mateo, California
Height - 6' 5"
Weight - 225
Website
Tom Brady Player Page - Foxborough Free Press
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