Few athletes have aged as gracefully as quarterback Tom Brady has. This past February, a 39-year-old Brady led the New England Patriots back from a 28-3 deficit for the largest comeback in Super Bowl history and, quite possibly, the most impressive accomplishment of his career.

As ESPN notes, Brady has won more games since he turned 30 than Terry Bradshaw, Warren Moon, Jim Kelly, Ken Stabler or Troy Aikman has in their entire careers. On Thursday, Brady turned 40.

TSN.ca takes a look back at the lowest of lows and the highest of highs from one of the best quarterbacks to ever play the game. 

 

1998

After Michigan Wolverines quarterback Brian Griese moved on to the NFL, competition for the starting job ensued between Brady and Michigan-born freshman Drew Hanson.

Brady eventually beat out Hanson to win the starting job, but fans were reportedly never fond of the decision and booed Brady off the field during an early-season loss to Syracuse.

But head coach Lloyd Carr stuck by him and it paid off. Brady went on to have great success in his first year as a starter, setting the Michigan record for most completions in a season with 214.

During his time with the Wolverines, he went 20-5 as a starter, passing for 5,222 yards and 35 touchdowns.

 

2000

Despite his success in college, most NFL scouts didn’t pay much attention to Brady. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round with the No. 199 pick. Six other quarterbacks were taken ahead of him.

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2001

On Sept. 23, 2001, Patriots starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe took a crushing hit from New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. Bledsoe left the game soon after and opened the door for Brady. Bledsoe never started another game for New England and was traded to the Buffalo Bills a few months later.

 

2002

After a terrific regular season, Brady led the Patriots to the Super Bowl. With the score tied at 17 late in the fourth quarter against the St. Louis Rams, Brady drove the Pats downfield and spiked the ball with seven seconds left. Kicker Adam Vinatieri sent a field goal through the uprights as time expired, giving New England its first Super Bowl win in franchise history.

 

2004

Brady led the Patriots back to the playoffs and into the Super Bowl against the Carolina Panthers. New England won 32-29 with Brady for throwing for 354 yards and two touchdowns, capturing his second Super Bowl MVP award. The Patriots would double up the following year, beating the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 for their second straight title.

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2007

The Patriots dramatically overhauled their receiving corps by bringing in Randy Moss, who had a down year with Oakland in 2006. Brady and Moss immediately clicked, helping lead the Patriots to an undefeated regular season.

In what is heralded as one of the greatest Super Bowls ever, Brady was outdueled by New York Giants QB Eli Manning, ending New England’s undefeated season.

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2008

In the first quarter of Week 1, disaster struck. Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard delivered a hit to Brady’s left knee, tearing his ACL and forcing him to miss the entire season.

This led to a rule change from the NFL about hits to quarterbacks below the knee. Pollard was criticized for the hit but defended himself, saying it was a split-second decision.

"At the end of the day, you've got a second to think about how you're going to tackle somebody. A lot of people don't understand that. You have a second," Pollard told NESN in 2012.

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2010

On Sept. 10, 2010, Brady signed a four-year extension worth $72 million making him the highest paid player in the NFL. That season, he had a personal record of 340 pass attempts without an interception that ended in a playoff loss to the New York Jets.

From 2010 to 2015, Brady surpassed 4,000 yards passing in each regular season, making the Pro Bowl in every year.

 

2015 

After another solid season, the Patriots steamrolled the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game and eventually edged the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl. Following their 45-7 win over the Colts, reports emerged claiming the Patriots deflated footballs during the first half.

Brady immediately denied any wrongdoing, claiming he did not “alter the balls in any way.” After a lengthy investigation by the NFL, they found it more likely than not Brady knowingly participated in the deflation. Brady was suspended four games to start the 2016 season. The Patriots were also fined $1 million and surrendered two draft picks.

On Sept. 3, 2015, a U.S. district judge erased the suspension, saying commissioner Roger Goodell went too far in punishing Brady. However, in April of 2016, the suspension was reinstated and Brady sat out the first four games of the 2017 season.

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2017

Brady put up another stellar season – his 112.2 passer rating was the best of his career – en route to a historic comeback win over the Falcons in the Super Bowl, giving him his fifth career ring.

The 25-point deficit Brady and the Patriots overcame in the second half was the largest in Super Bowl history.