There was a time when every New England Patriots player, staff, and fan only saw Drew Bledsoe as the face of the franchise. So, it was like an unceremonious ascension to the throne when Tom Brady first became the franchise’s QB. Following Drew Bledsoe’s season-ending injury in 2001, the rookie had to lead NFL stars like Teddy Bruschi, Ty Law, and others who couldn’t put their trust and confidence in the inexperienced rookie. 

Brady went from being an amateur who didn’t know what he was doing at times to a pro leading his team to their first Super Bowl win the same year he started. Despite his quick learning abilities and high confidence in himself, young Tom Brady had no idea what his teammates had in the back of their minds when he was solidifying his career as the Patriots starting QB. 

Patriots legends expose Tom Brady’s confidence and the silent backlash from teammates

Tom Brady’s former teammates CB Ty Law and safety Lawyer Milloy hid nothing about their initial impressions of Brady. In the recent Patriots Dynasty docuseries on Apple TV, the Patriots legends reminisced about the time when Brady replaced Bledsoe in Week 2 after his grave injury. Ty Law recalled a dinner episode with Brady and Milloy in which the rookie QB said out of nowhere, “I ain’t giving this s**t back.”

Trending

Big Day in Wilson Family as Ciara & Russell Wilson Celebrate Daughter Sienna’s Birthday

April 29, 2024 02:44 AM EDT

“Got My Dawg Back”: Travis Hunter Took Over Bodyguard Duties for Shilo Sanders During His Playful Fight With Ryan Garcia

April 28, 2024 09:31 PM EDT

“Make Em Pay”: Caleb Williams Lights a Fire Under Brendan Rice to Force Antonio Brown’s Reincarnation for Chargers

April 28, 2024 04:39 AM EDT

Jerry Jones Trusts Trey Lance to Succeed Dak Prescott as Dallas Cowboys Prepare to Move On From Veteran Stars

April 28, 2024 12:00 PM EDT

Kyle Shanahan Tired of ‘Limited WR’ as Deebo Samuel Could Leave 49ers Instead of Brandon Aiyuk, as Per John Middlekauff

April 29, 2024 12:30 PM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NFL stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

For an inexperienced NFL QB who had just begun starting the games, it was a big leap of confidence on Tom Brady’s part to declare his thoughts. Almost everyone including Law and Milloy thought that Brady was just a temporary replacement who’ll have to go “back to the bench” once more after Bledsoe’s return. But that’s not on the schedule for the determined rookie who would later become the NFL GOAT.

Tom Brady proves his worth as a capable QB for the Patriots

As is seen above, Tom Brady was an underrated player initially coming in as a replacement. But he showed his talent as an impeccable QB by leading the Patriots to an incredible 11-3 record in his rookie season, starting 14 games. As Milloy said, “Sometimes it takes a tragedy to bring a community together. A team together.” 

Super Bowl 2024: Deion Sanders Sings Andy Reid and Travis Kelce Praises after Chiefs’ Clutch Overtime Win 

With Bledsoe being sidelined, Tom Brady recorded 2,843 yards and 18 touchdowns with a passer rating of 86.5 in his debut season. The same season, he led the Patriots to the Super Bowl against the Saint Louis Rams where he won his first SB ring and SB MVP title. From people belittling the rookie’s ambitions thinking “This is Drew’s team” to “This is the NFL,” Tom Brady went on to prove to everyone that hard work and determination can lead you to places where no one thought you’d reach.

WATCH THIS STORY: Tom Brady’s Ex-Wife Gisele Bündchen Shares Five Stress Beating Secrets for a Healthy Life