NFL News: Patriots release Tom Brady’s historic first call

On Friday, the New England Patriots shared their first phone call with Tom Brady, the No. 199 pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. At the time, Brady was a humble Michigan quarterback who waited for his moment when the Patriots gambled on the 22-year-old backup for Drew Bledsoe.

The recently released call shed light on the improbable journey of their sixth-round pick that year, who later became the undisputed best draft pick of all time. In the call, the future first-ballot Hall of Famer discussed various topics, including his entry as a backup, his draft day slide, and his season and long-term objectives.

Grateful for a starting place

Brady started the discussion in the call by expressing his initial goal of finding a place to establish himself and conveyed his gratitude to the Patriots for providing that opportunity.

“It’s a great opportunity to head back to New England and play for the Patriots. It’s certainly been a dream come true,” Brady said.

When questioned about his feelings regarding his late draft selection, Brady said, “I don’t think ‘disappointment’ is the word. The team that has drafted me, I’m just very comfortable with, and whether it be at the second round or the sixth round I think everybody starts on the same level.”

While he anticipated joining his new team, Brady expressed excitement to learn under Bledsoe, whom he looked up to.

“Well, all I was looking for was a place to get my foot in the door and be great for the team that picked me. Drew Bledsoe’s certainly one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. It’s gonna be great to learn under him and compete for a job with the Patriots,” Brady said.

Brady also addressed some inquiries regarding former New England quarterback Michael Bishop. He said that the team selected him to be a team player and give his best effort daily. Hence, Brady chose to focus on his own contributions and not dwelling too much on others, as he believed it affected his performance negatively.

From backup to GOAT

During his time at Michigan, the coaches made Brady share the quarterback positio, which he acknowledged as the right choice. When joining the Patriots, Brady knew his role would begin as a backup but said he would be “ready to go when the team calls on me.”

The Pats are highly rewarded for their gamble pick in 2000. By year-end, Brady ascended to the backup role. When Bledsoe suffered an injury in 2001, the Patriots had to rely on Brady, and they never looked back.

Brady led them to his first of seven Super Bowl wins, laying the foundation for his eventual recognition as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time). He also played a pivotal role in the Patriots’ victory in the remaining five Super Bowls and later secured another championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Brady has more Super Bowl victories than any other NFL organization and retired as the all-time leader in wins, division titles, passing yards, and touchdowns. On top of being been honored twice as the NFL Offensive Player of the Year, the Hall of Famer also has 15 Pro Bowl selections, five Super Bowl MVP Awards and three regular-season MVP Awards in his string of accolades.