Tom Brady's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Tom Brady. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Tom Brady is a former American football quarterback, widely considered the greatest of all time. He played 23 seasons in the NFL, spending 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was a key player in the Patriots' dynasty from 2001 to 2019. Now he is a sports broadcaster.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1990: Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year

For his performance in 2007, Tom Brady was named the Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, the first NFL player to earn the honor since Joe Montana in 1990.

1998: Set New Michigan Records

In 1998, during his first full year as a starter, Tom Brady set new Michigan records for most pass attempts and completions in a season. He also set a school record for completions in a game against Ohio State, and he capped the season with a win in the Citrus Bowl.

1999: Platooning and Late-Game Heroics

In 1999, Tom Brady platooned with Drew Henson during the first seven games. He nearly led Michigan to a comeback win against Michigan State after being reinserted into the game. He went on to play the entire game against Indiana, throwing for 226 yards. He also led Michigan to a 4th-quarter comeback against Penn State.

2000: Won the Orange Bowl

In 2000, Tom Brady won the Orange Bowl.

2001: Start of Brady-Belichick Era

In 2001, Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick began what would be known as the Brady-Belichick era with the Patriots.

2001: Central to Patriots' Dynasty

In 2001, Tom Brady became a central figure in the New England Patriots' dynasty.

2001: AFC Offensive Player of the Week

In 2001, Tom Brady was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time after leading the Patriots to a 29-26 victory over the San Diego Chargers. He later won his second nomination after a win over the New Orleans Saints.

2002: First Super Bowl Win

In 2002, Tom Brady led the Patriots to a 20-17 Super Bowl victory over the Rams. He was named Super Bowl MVP, throwing for 145 yards and one touchdown. He became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl at the age of 24. Drew Bledsoe was traded to the Buffalo Bills in April, solidifying Brady's role as the starting quarterback.

2003: Won Consecutive Super Bowl Titles

In 2003, Tom Brady and the Patriots won a consecutive Super Bowl title.

2003: AFC East Champions

In 2003, Tom Brady led the Patriots to a 14-2 record and an AFC East title. He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week twice and finished third in NFL MVP voting.

2003: Inducted into High School Hall of Fame

In 2003, Tom Brady was inducted into the Junípero Serra High School Hall of Fame.

2004: Continued Success

During the 2004 season, Tom Brady and the Patriots set an NFL record with 21 straight wins, and finished the season with a 14-2 record, matching their 2003 record and winning the AFC East. Brady was voted to his second Pro Bowl.

2004: Won Consecutive Super Bowl Titles

In 2004, Tom Brady and the Patriots won a consecutive Super Bowl title.

2004: Super Bowl XXXIX Champions

In 2004, Tom Brady led the Patriots to victory in Super Bowl XXXIX against the Philadelphia Eagles, winning 24-21. He threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns in the win, securing their third championship in four years.

2005: AFC East Champions

During the 2005 season, Tom Brady led the Patriots to a 10-6 record and won their third straight AFC East title. He won AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 5 performance against the Falcons and was named to his third Pro Bowl.

2007: Record-Breaking Season

In 2007, Tom Brady had a record-breaking season, leading the Patriots to a 16-0 regular-season record. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for September and October and AFC Offensive Player of the Week five times. He also had a career-high six passing touchdowns in a game against the Dolphins.

October 18, 2009: Brady Sets NFL Record Against the Titans

On October 18, 2009, Tom Brady set an NFL record against the Titans for most touchdowns in a quarter with five in the second quarter. He finished the game with six touchdowns, tying his career-high, and 380 yards, achieving a passer rating of 152.8. The Patriots' 59–0 victory tied the record for the largest margin of victory since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

2009: 2009 Season Opener Against the Bills

In 2009, Tom Brady played his first game in over a year during the season opener against the Bills. He threw for 378 yards and two touchdowns. With the Patriots down 24–13 in the final three minutes, Brady connected with Benjamin Watson for two touchdowns, leading the Patriots to a 25–24 victory. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.

2009: Start of 11 Consecutive Division Titles

In 2009, Tom Brady started a streak of leading the Patriots to 11 consecutive division titles, a period of sustained dominance.

2010: Named League MVP

In 2010, Tom Brady was named the league MVP.

2010: Selected for the 2010 Pro Bowl

In 2010, Tom Brady was selected as a reserve to the Pro Bowl and was named the 2009 NFL Comeback Player of the Year.

2010: Named AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year

In 2010, Tom Brady was the only unanimous selection for the AP All-Pro Team and was named the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He also won the MVP award for the second time and was ranked as the best player in the NFL by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

2011: Start of 8 Consecutive AFC Championship Games

In 2011, Tom Brady began a streak of leading the Patriots to eight consecutive AFC Championship Games, demonstrating sustained success.

2011: Selected as a Starter to the 2011 Pro Bowl

In 2011, Tom Brady was selected as a starter for the Pro Bowl but withdrew due to surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot, dating back to 2008. He was replaced by Matt Cassel.

2011: Career-High Performance in Week 1 of the 2011 Season

In Week 1 of the 2011 season, Tom Brady threw for a career-high 517 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception in a victory over the Dolphins, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He also threw a record-tying 99-yard touchdown pass. Brady was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for November and December, and Week 16 AFC Offensive Player of the Week. Brady passed for 5,235 yards, finishing second in passing yards behind Drew Brees. The Patriots finished the season 13-3 and clinched the AFC's #1 seed.

2012: 2012 Season Performance

During the 2012 season, Tom Brady started all 16 games and led the Patriots to a 12–4 record. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times and became the first quarterback to lead his team to ten division titles. The Patriots scored 557 points, the first team to score at least 500 points in a season four times. Brady finished with 4,827 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and a passer rating of 98.7, and was named to the Pro Bowl for the eighth time.

2012: Ranked Fourth on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012

For his efforts in the 2011 season, Tom Brady was named to the Pro Bowl and was ranked as the fourth-best player in the NFL on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012 by his peers.

2012: High School Football Stadium Named After Brady

In 2012, two weeks after Super Bowl XLVI, Junípero Serra High School named their football stadium Brady Family Stadium in honor of Tom Brady.

2013: Greatest Passing Season Recognition

In 2013, ESPN unanimously voted Tom Brady's 2007 season as the greatest passing season of all time.

2013: Ranked Fourth on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013

In 2013, Tom Brady was ranked fourth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players for the second consecutive year.

2014: Named to Pro Bowl for Ninth Time

In 2014, Tom Brady was named to the Pro Bowl for the ninth time and was ranked third on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 list. The Patriots finished the season 12–4 and earned the second seed in the AFC. Brady made his 25th playoff appearance in the Divisional Round against the Colts, breaking Brett Favre's record. The Patriots won 43–22, but lost to the Broncos in the AFC Championship.

2015: Ranked on NFL Top 100 Players of 2015

In 2014, Tom Brady was named to his tenth career Pro Bowl and was ranked third by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 list.

2015: Brady's Suspension Vacated

In 2015, Judge Richard M. Berman vacated Tom Brady's four-game suspension, allowing him to play in the first four games of the season. Judge Berman cited the NFL's failure to provide proper notice and potential manipulation of Brady's testimony.

December 20, 2016: Named to the Pro Bowl for the Eighth Straight Season

On December 20, 2016, Tom Brady was named to the Pro Bowl for the eighth straight season and 12th time overall.

2016: Brady's Return After Suspension

After serving his four-game suspension, Tom Brady made his 2016 season debut on October 9 against the Browns, throwing for 406 yards and three touchdowns. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week and was later named AFC Offensive Player of the Month for October.

2016: 2016 Season Performance

Despite numerous injuries to key players, the Patriots lost their first game against the Broncos in overtime after a 10-0 start in 2016. They finished the season 12-4, earning the 2-seed in the AFC. Tom Brady led the league with 36 touchdown passes and was named to his 11th Pro Bowl. He was ranked as the second-best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

2017: Ranked #1 on NFL Top 100 Players of 2017

In 2016, Tom Brady clinched an eighth consecutive AFC East title and a seventh consecutive first-round bye. He ended the regular season with 28 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions and was named to the AP All-Pro Second Team. Brady was also ranked first on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 as the best player in the league.

2017: Named NFL MVP

In 2017, Tom Brady was named the NFL Most Valuable Player for the third time in his career after leading the league in passing yards with 4,577.

2018: Ranked No. 1 in NFL Top 100

For the second straight year in 2018, Tom Brady was ranked No. 1 by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

2018: 8th Consecutive AFC Championship Game

In 2018, Tom Brady led the Patriots to their 8th consecutive AFC Championship Game.

2019: 14th Career Pro Bowl Nomination

In 2019, Tom Brady earned his 14th career Pro Bowl nomination after completing 375-of-570 passes for 4,355 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions.

2019: Named to 100th Anniversary All-Time Team

In 2019, Tom Brady was unanimously named to the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team, recognizing his exceptional career achievements.

2019: 11th Consecutive Division Title

In 2019, Tom Brady won his 11th consecutive division title with the Patriots.

2020: Named to NFL 100 All-Time Team

During the NFL's celebration of their 100th season in 2020, Tom Brady was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

2020: Buccaneers Make Playoffs

In 2020, Tom Brady finished the season with 4,633 passing yards, 40 passing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, leading the Buccaneers to the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.

2020: Joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In 2020, Tom Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and subsequently won Super Bowl LV.

2020: Led Tampa Bay to Wild Card Berth

In 2020, Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a wild card berth in the playoffs.

2020: Signed with Tampa Bay

In 2020, Tom Brady signed with Tampa Bay, ending a long postseason drought for the team and leading them to Super Bowl LV.

2021: Record-Breaking Season

In 2021, Tom Brady finished the season with an NFL record 485 pass completions for a career-high 5,316 passing yards and 43 passing touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the 15th time.

2021: Brady wins Super Bowl LV

In 2021, Tom Brady led the Buccaneers to a 31-9 Super Bowl LV victory over the Chiefs, earning his fifth Super Bowl MVP award and seventh Super Bowl ring. He threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns, marking a historic achievement as the oldest quarterback to win the Super Bowl.

2021: Led Tampa Bay to NFC South Title

In 2021, Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an NFC South title.

2021: Set Season Record for Completions

In 2021, Tom Brady set a single-season record for completions and led the league in passing yards and touchdowns, also achieving a career-high in passing yards.

2022: Led Tampa Bay to NFC South Title

In 2022, Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to an NFC South title.

September 10, 2023: Kraft Waives Waiting Period for Hall of Fame Candidacy

On September 10, 2023, during the Patriots' week one game of the 2023 season, Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced that he would waive the traditional four-year post-retirement waiting period required for Brady's candidacy to the Patriots Hall of Fame and directly induct him.

June 12, 2024: Patriots Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

On June 12, 2024, Tom Brady's Patriots Hall of Fame induction took place within Gillette Stadium. Brady was also the first person in Gillette Stadium history to become a "Keeper of the Light", ringing the bell in the newly redesigned lighthouse.