Tom Brady made an impression on Nick Saban long before he shot to NFL superstardom.
The Alabama head football coach told reporters Thursday he counts the New England Patriots quarterback among the best signal-callers he ever coached against during his legendary career. Saban was Michigan State’s head coach in 1999 when the Spartans faced Brady’s Michigan Wolverines on Oct. 9, 1999.
Although some might forget Brady split time with Drew Henson during his senior season, Saban remembers the GOAT making a game-changing impact.
“… Tom Brady played really good against us when I was at Michigan State,” Saban said, per The Montgomery Adviser’s Alex Byington. “We actually won the game, 34-31, … but it was because they played a different quarterback half the game. If they’d have played (Brady) the whole game I don’t know what would have happened.”
Brady completed 30-of-41 passes for 285 yards and two touchdowns, including one that capped a 96-yard drive in the fourth quarter. However, the future GOAT’s effort wasn’t enough to lead the Wolverines past the Spartans that day.
Although Saban wonders whether Michigan would have beaten his Michigan State side if Brady played the entire game, Patriots fans, and their haters, are certain what would have happened.
