Why Jason Whitlock Believes Tom Brady Is ‘The Muhammad Ali Of His Era’

Tom Brady owns five Super Bowl rings, a bunch of NFL records and the distinction of being considered the greatest quarterback in league history.

But Jason Whitlock believes Brady’s legacy goes beyond his football prowess.

“We’re going to talk about Tom Brady, the greatest American athlete of his generation, bar none,” Whitlock said Monday on FS1’s “Speak For Yourself” to begin a monologue in which he compared the New England Patriots quarterback to legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.

This isn’t the first time Whitlock has mentioned Brady and Ali in the same breath. He put them both on his all-time sports Mount Rushmore back in October — alongside Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth — while explaining what separates Brady from NBA superstar LeBron James.

Brady and Ali obviously are very different from a personality standpoint. But for Whitlock, it boils down to the will to win, and few athletes are as competitive as Brady, who enters Sunday’s AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs one win shy of his ninth Super Bowl appearance.