Home

NFL

Tom Brady Wasn’t Starting QB at University of Michigan; Who Started Ahead of the GOAT In College?

Published 05/02/2022, 2:00 PM EDT

Follow Us

via Getty

Tom Brady is without a dispute one of the finest quarterbacks to compete in the National Football League. After being singled out in the sixth round, no one else could have foreseen his tremendous success. The GOAT was a brawler attempting to find his path at the University of Michigan before becoming a 7-time Super Bowl champion. However, he always hasn’t been the starting QB in his college career.

We overlook what Tom Brady appeared like in the No.10 jersey because it has been decades since he donned the winged headgear. From 1996 through 1999, he played collegiate games for the Michigan Wolverines; a squad that represents the University of Michigan in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Who was QB1 ahead of Tom Brady?

Tom Brady spent his initial two seasons at Michigan as a backup quarterback in 1996 and 1997. Brady was the Wolverines’ seventh-string quarterback at the period. In 1997, Brian Griese has been the starting quarterback for the undefeated Michigan Wolverines.

With his father’s guidance, critics destined Brian Griese to be a quarterback from the outset. With only a handful of scholarship invitations from Purdue and Kentucky, he had little interest straight out of high school. He joined the Michigan Wolverines as a walk-on.

🏈 Exclusive Invite for NFL Community

Description of the image

Trending

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

Follow Us

REPORTS: Unfortunate Update on Baker Mayfield’s NFL Future Post 2022 NFL Draft

Griese earns his shot at quarterback in 1995 after a red-shirt campaign and another year of placing kick-holding responsibilities.

For the next two seasons, he shared time with Scott Dreisbach. Griese took over the Michigan attack in 1997 and carried the team to an unbeaten record and a Rose Bowl appearance. Griese threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns as Michigan won a share of the national championship by defeating Washington State.

Brian Griese: The Iconic

Griese. It’s a memorable name, and it’s linked with football royalty. In the 1970s, Bob Griese was one of the finest quarterbacks in NFL history, leading the Dolphins to the Super Bowl three times in a row and winning two of them. In 1990, they elected him to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The Denver Broncos drafted Brian Griese in the third round at the 1998 NFL Draft. He was the third-string quarterback in Denver his first year, behind starter John Elway and Bubby Brister. Moreover, that season, he was a member of the Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning squad, making him the only father-son tandem to win a Super Bowl.

During his 11-year NFL career, he took part in 93 games and threw for 19,440 yards and 119 scores on 1,752 of 2,796 pass attempts. Under coach Mike Shanahan, he was a member of a Denver team that dominated Super Bowl XXXIII. They named Griese to the 2001 Pro Bowl after throwing for 2,688 yards and 19 touchdowns on 216 of 336 passes. With an overall passer rating of 102.9, he dominated the NFL that season.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Brian Griese had a spectacular playing career, capturing a national championship in college and a Super Bowl championship in the NFL. He’s also been a commentator who’s had a great deal of success off the pitch. Griese joined MNF after 11 years as a dominant voice in college football, calling games for ABC and ESPN from 2009 through 2019.

Watch This Story: Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce Teamed Up to Beat Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon in Golf Battle

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Pavitra Shome

1,720Articles

One take at a time

Pavitra Shome is an NFL author at EssentiallySports. Currently pursuing his M.A.
Show More>

Edited by:

Deepika Bhaduri