Before Tom Brady built his unparalleled legacy on the gridiron, he first had to unseat the man who famously labeled him the worst backup in NFL history. While fans are used to seeing Brady hoist Lombardi trophies, there was a time when the greatest of all time was just a late-round pick fighting for reps. He began his professional journey riding the pine behind New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe.

With the recent NFL season officially in the rearview mirror, an old video of Bledsoe humorously reminding Brady of those early days has gone viral on social media, having garnered 762.8K views and going. The resurfaced clip features the former starter delivering a zinger about what made his successor such a terrible understudy. It perfectly teases the dynamic that fueled the most famous quarterback controversy the league has ever seen.

The clip originates from Brady’s induction into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame in 2024, celebrating his illustrious 23-year career. During the ceremony, Drew Bledsoe took the stage and finally explained why Tom Brady failed so miserably at being a second-stringer.

“You were the worst backup quarterback in the history of the NFL,” Drew Bledsoe said. “You never understood that when I got healthy, you were supposed to go sit the hell down.”

However, the viral clip isolates just a few seconds of a much broader and more heartfelt speech. The full exchange reveals that Bledsoe was actually answering a question about what he admired most about his former teammate. He began by praising Brady’s toughness, joking that Brady learned it from him because Bledsoe knew if he ever missed a game, “some young punk” would take his job.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

After promising not to roast the guest of honor, Bledsoe delivered the viral punchline but immediately anchored the moment with genuine affection.

“The only thing greater than your accomplishments as a quarterback and your awards is the person that you are,” Drew Bledsoe noted, emphasizing Tom Brady’s positive impact on the lives of those around him.

With these comments, Bledsoe was reminding Brady of the time when he was on the bench at Foxborough through his rookie year in 2000 and then the first two games of the 2001 season. The Patriots started that season with a 0-2 record before Brady took the starting role, as Bledsoe suffered a near-fatal internal injury in Week 2 against the New York Jets after a hit by linebacker Mo Lewis.

The hit caused a sheared blood vessel in his chest and a hemothorax. This prompted the Patriots to start Brady in Week 3, which kicked off a historic run as he led the Belichick-coached side to a 20-17 Super Bowl victory over the Los Angeles Rams (then known as the St. Louis Rams).

After this Lombardi Trophy win, Brady secured his place as the Patriots’ QB1 for the next 18 years, where he won five more Super Bowls and 17 AFC East titles. He then moved to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, winning his seventh Super Bowl ring and establishing himself as one of the greatest players in NFL history. Now in 2026, three years after his retirement from football, fans continue to celebrate Tom Brady as a bona fide NFL G.O.A.T.

However, Brady remains connected with football as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, where he tried to recruit an important member of the Patriots coaching staff ahead of the 2026 season.

Tom Brady’s Raiders attempt to poach Patriots coach

As Brady continues to navigate life as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, the franchise, after a disappointing 3-14 season, has attempted to hire an important coach from the Super Bowl runner-ups, the New England Patriots. Ahead of the 2026 season, the Las Vegas front office attempted to bring in Pats quarterback coach Ashton Grant.

“Patriots QB coach Ashton Grant has decided to remain in New England rather than discuss the vacant offensive coordinator job with the Las Vegas Raiders,” NFL insider Adam Schefter reported. “Grant now officially will be staying in New England to continue helping with the development of Drake Maye.”

Despite the failed recruitment attempt, Tom Brady’s journey from Drew Bledsoe’s backup to seven-time champion to NFL owner continues to evolve. Whether he can replicate his on-field success in the front office remains to be seen.