Had the NFL not implemented the tuck rule in 1999, Tom Brady might not have put together his storied tenure with the Patriots.
The rule back in January of 2002 gave new life to New England and Brady, who was in his first season as a starting quarterback. The Patriots maintained possession after Brady lost control of the football in the fourth quarter of the divisional-round game against the Raiders, which New England ultimately won in overtime. From there, Brady and company won Super Bowl XXXVI and hoisted the Lombardi Trophy five more times over the next 17 years.
Brady and former Raiders star Charles Woodson looked back on the memorable game in snowy Foxboro as part of the “Tuck Rule” 30 for 30 documentary on ESPN. The future Hall of Fame quarterback explained how the rule impacted his role in New England.
“I’m probably the backup QB going into 2002,” Brady said, per NBC Sports Boston. “I’m not the starter if we lose that game.”
Brady probably is right. It’s easy to forget the Patriots heavily invested in Drew Bledsoe to the tune of a 10-year, $103 million contract prior to the start of the 2001 season. Brady might have forced New England’s hand again as an NFL junior, but Bledsoe likely would have at least entered training camp and the 2022 regular season as QB1 for the Patriots.
Instead, New England traded Bledsoe to the divisional rival Buffalo Bills prior to the start of that campaign, showcasing how much faith the organization had in TB12.
