What was Tom Brady's NFL Combine record like? Revisiting Patriots legend's performance

Tom Brady is the most decorated American football player of all time and is regarded by many as the greatest. Brady enjoyed a long and distinguished career, so you might be forgiven for forgetting his humble beginnings.

This article will take a trip down memory lane to Brady's NFL Combine performance. We'll look at how the New England Patriots legend performed in the drills and what scouts said about him then. So, without further ado, let's get to it.

Exploring Tom Brady's NFL Combine record from 2000

Tom Brady entered the 2000 NFL Combine fresh off a solid final season with the Michigan Wolverines. Brady was one of the quarterbacks invited to the 2000 NFL Combine, and these were the results of his drills.

Tom Brady NFL Combine Results:

• 40-yard dash: 5.28 seconds
• Vertical jump: 24.5 inches
• 20-yard short shuttle: 4.38 seconds

It's important to note that Brady did not participate in the broad jump, bench press, or 60-yard shuttle drills.

It was clear from Brady's Combine performance that he wouldn't be a dual-threat quarterback. The future perennial Pro Bowler was somewhat awkward and slow, and he didn't have a sudden burst of speed that's all so common in today's NFL.

However, it's important to note that 2000 was a different time, and quarterbacks weren't expected to perform as they did in 2024. The likes of Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, and John Elway were the standard then, while Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jalen Hurts epitomise the modern QB. Tom Brady was built like the older guard, and his lack of athleticism never held him back.

How did Tom Brady perform in the Wonderlic Test?

Brady scored 33 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test at the 2000 Combine. That was a decent total, as the average score for the test stands at a paltry 20/50.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has the highest QB Wonderlic test score in history, with the Ivy League QB scoring 48 out of a possible 50. Quarterbacks have an average of 25.9 based on Wonderlic data, and only one player has scored a perfect grade on the test, and that's punter Pat McInally in 1975.

Brady was called numerous things at his Combine, including skinny, having a poor build, lacking mobility, strength, and the ability to throw a tight spiral. A scout even described him as a system player who may be exposed if pushed to ad-lib.

It is fair to say that Brady did an excellent job of silencing any skeptics on his route to a first-ballot Hall of Fame NFL career.