Despite being a backup at USC to Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, Cassel was drafted to the NFL by the New England Patriots in the Seventh Round in 2005, where he would become the backup to Tom Brady.  When you play behind a legend, you aren't expected to see much action except for garbage time, but an opportunity arose in Game 1 of the 2008 season when Brady went down with a torn ACL.