5 moments that defined Tom Brady's NFL career

Tom Brady officially retired from the NFL after 22 legendary seasons. There is no doubt that he is the greatest football player of all time. His list of accomplishments is seemingly infinite, including seven Super Bowl rings, five Super Bowl MVP awards and three regular season MVP awards. Of all of the great moments he's had in his career, here are five of his best ever.

Memorable moments from Tom Brady's career

#1 - Super Bowl XXXVI

Quarterbacks Tom Brady and Kurt Warner

Brady's first Super Bowl victory will always be one of the most memorable. In addition to being the first one, it was also one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history. The St. Louis Rams were favored to win by two touchdowns after two consecutive dominant seasons.

"The Greatest Show on Turf" couldn't get it done against a back-up quarterback selected in the 6th round of the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. The legend of Brady and the dynasty of the Patriots was born from this upset victory.

#2 - Super Bowl LI

Brady after a Super Bowl LI victory

Super Bowl LI included the greatest comeback in NFL history and the biggest in Super Bowl history. The Patriots famously trailed the Atlanta Falcons 28-3 late in the third quarter before everything changed.

Brady flipped the switch and led the Patriots all the way back to force overtime, where he would put together a game clinching drive. He was basically perfect in the fourth quarter and overtime, putting on one of the most spectacular performances of his career.

Tom Brady's career-defining moments

Here are five moments from Tom Brady's career that defined his legendary legacy.

#3 - Super Bowl LV

Brady lifting the Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl LV

Super Bowl LV was the most recent Brady championship, the seventh of his career. What made this one so significant was how different it was than the previous six. It was his first without Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

Winning the Super Bowl with another team was something Brady almost had to do with his legacy. He did so with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his first season with the team, at 43 years old. Now nobody can ever say that he couldn't win one without Belichick, because he did.

#4 - The 40-year-old MVP

Tom Brady at a press confernce

Tom Brady made history in 2017, becoming just the second player in any of the four major American sports to win a league MVP at the age of 40. He joined MLB's Barry Bonds. Brady played the entire season at the age of 40, while Bonds turned 40 during his MVP season.

This is one of the main examples of Brady's longevity and dominance. He is just as good, if not better, at 40 as he was when he was in his 20s and 30s. In his final season, at age 44, he led the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns. He truly is an ageless wonder on the football field.

#5 - The almost perfect season

Brady loses Super Bowl XLII

The 2007 New England Patriots are the only team in NFL history to finish the regular season with a perfect 16-0 record. Undefeated regular seasons have happened before, but they were prior to the league extending the regular season schedule to 16 games. Brady was named NFL MVP of the season.

They would then advance to Super Bowl XLII, where they were upset by Eli Manning and the New York Giants. It was one of the biggest upset losses of Tom Brady's career and ruined what would have been a perfect season. Even with the loss, the 2007 Patriots are considered one of the greatest single-season teams in NFL history.