We learned Friday it was no easy call for Bill Belichick to ride with Tom Brady instead of Drew Bledsoe back in the 2001 season.
The difficulty of that decision, however, probably pales in comparison to another task Belichick was handed during the taping of the “NFL 100 All-Time Team” series finale.
Belichick was asked by co-host Rich Eisen to pick a “signature” play of Brady’s career. Brady, of course, has been a highlight-reel fixture over the past two decades, and Belichick suggested picking just one play is an impossible task. But what came to mind for New England’s head coach were gems from both Brady’s first and latest Super Bowl runs.
“There are a lot of them,” Belichick said on NFL Network. “One of the great early ones, I think, was the AFC Championship Game against Pittsburgh to (Deion) Branch on the post. Tom drew (Troy) Polamalu down, Deion got behind him and Tom put it over the top for a touchdown. That kind of got us started in that game. I could list a thousand of them. Certainly the seam pass to (Rob) Gronkowski in the most recent Super Bowl, a great touch throw. There’s a thousand of those, too. That was a special play.”
Brady, Belichick, the Patriots and their fans certainly are hoping TB12 has a few more signature plays in the arsenal as New England tries to claim a seventh Lombardi Trophy.
