“Believe in Me”: Tom Brady Tried to Inspire the Patriots in his Rookie Year after Drew Bledsoe’s Season-Ending Injury

Tom Brady may be the GOAT of the NFL, but he had one of the most challenging starts in the professional league. The New England Patriots hadn’t been looking for a new leader when the 7x SB winner stepped up because they had another legend before him in Drew Bledsoe. But after the Patriots’ main guy unexpectedly went down with a fatal injury, young Brady took the lead and never looked back.

In the words of Safety Lawyer Milloy, “Sometimes it takes a tragedy to bring a community together. A team together.” And that’s what happened with the Bledsoe injury incident. The fall of one dominion led to the rise of another dynasty and despite the challenges that presented itself in his rookie season, Tom Brady beautifully triumphed over it all. 

Tom Brady faced initial challenges both on the field and from his teammates

The 7x SB winner said on Apple TV’s Patriot Dynasty docuseries, “I was the backup QB. So Coach came over and was like ‘Okay, Drew’s out, Tom you’re in. You better get ready to go.’” In the words of his former teammates, he tried to inspire his team with words like, “Believe in me. Let’s get it together.” But when Tom Brady replaced Bledsoe as the Patriots starting QB, it was far from a smooth ride because he wasn’t taken seriously initially as he hadn’t done anything for his team to deserve their trust and respect. 

According to what NFL veteran Teddy Bruschi said, “Tom gathered us around and I remember thinking, ‘Oh look at the kid, he’s trying’…This guy’s never done anything for us before. From that first practice on… he didn’t know what he was doing at times.” For the first part of Brady’s run as the starting QB, the defense had to run the team. But after a series of initial hiccups, Tom Brady led his team to their first Super Bowl in his debut starting year in a win against the then Saint Louis Rams in SB XXXVI. 

Tom Brady’s legacy in New England

Following his first title win in 2001, Tom Brady went on to win five more championships with the team, making him the most decorated quarterback of all time. He also won three MVP awards and four Super Bowl MVP awards and set numerous records for passing yards, touchdowns, and wins. 

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After Bledsoe, Tom Brady became the face of the Patriots dynasty, and a model of consistency, excellence, and leadership for two decades. Up to this day, he remains unrivaled in his status as the NFL GOAT winning more Super Bowls than any other QBs in the game with seven. 

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