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Tom Brady Admits He Likely Wouldn’t Have Been Patriots’ QB If “Tuck Rule” Game Went Differently

Tom Brady admitted that he likely would not have been the patriots QB in 2002 if the "Tuck Rule" game had been called differently in the 2001 playoffs

FOXBOROUGH, MA - NOVEMBER 24: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick during warm up before a game between the New England Patriots and the Dallas Cowboys on November 24, 2019, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

What if Tom Brady hadn’t won the Super Bowl during his rookie season in 2001?

Obviously, that would lead to a whole ripple affect, and who knows if he would have been considered the GOAT if things went a different way during his first postseason run. Specifically, if the “tuck rule” would have gone differently.

On Sunday night, ESPN aired an entire “30 for 30” on the “Tuck Rule” game from the 2001 AFC Divisional Round between the Raiders and Patriots. During the Pats’ final drive, Raiders’ star defensive back Charles Woodson appeared to seal the game by getting a strip sack from a young Tom Brady.

But during one of the most controversial moments ever, referee Walt Coleman ruled that it was a forward pass — being as Brady never actually tucked the ball away following a pump.

During the “30 for 30″, Tom Brady admitted that it was possible that Bill Belichick would have named Drew Bledsoe the QB for the 2002 season if the ruling had been a fumble.

“I’m probably the backup QB going into 2002. I’m not the starter if we lose that game,” he said.

Tom Brady would go on to talk about how the narrative around the game would’ve centered around his “rookie mistake” of not seeing Charles Woodson coming on the blitz. A mistake that simply wouldn’t have been made if Bledsoe was under center.

Obviously, Brady would go on to lead a game-winning drive after being given a second chance. And would win the first Super Bowl of his career later against the Rams.

There’s no telling what would have came from Tom Brady if he wasn’t the Patriots starting quarterback in 2002. But something tells me he would still have been given a chance at some point, and was likely destined for a Hall of Fame career regardless. It gives us some food for thought, though.


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