Who else could it possibly be?

Tom Brady arrived in New England as a sixth-round pick out of Michigan in 2000 with no fanfare and spent his rookie season as a backup. The following year, an injury to Drew Bledsoe forced him into the starting lineup early in the season. He led the Patriots to an 11-3 finish in his starts, earned a Pro Bowl selection, and guided the team to its first Super Bowl title. In Super Bowl XXXVI, he engineered a late drive that set up the game-winning field goal against the Rams and earned Super Bowl MVP honors.  A legend was born.

The early success continued. In 2003, Brady helped the Patriots to a 14-2 record and another Super Bowl appearance. He threw for 354 yards and three touchdowns in the win over the Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII and earned his second Super Bowl MVP. The next season produced a third championship in four years. Brady completed 23 of 33 passes for 236 yards and two scores in the 24-21 victory over the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX. Those three titles in four seasons established the foundation of the dynasty. 

In 2007, Brady threw for 4,806 yards and a then-record 50 touchdowns while completing 68.9 percent of his passes. The Patriots went 16-0 in the regular season, and Brady won his first NFL MVP award. The undefeated run ended in Super Bowl XLII against the Giants, but the regular-season numbers remain among the most efficient in league history. He followed with another strong year in 2009 after missing most of the previous season to injury, then won his second MVP in 2010 with 36 touchdowns against only four interceptions.

Brady’s consistency defined the next decade. He led the Patriots to the Super Bowl again in 2011, throwing for 276 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Giants. In 2014, he guided another championship run. He completed 37 of 50 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns in the 28-24 win over the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX and earned his third Super Bowl MVP. The following year he threw for 4,770 yards and 36 scores as the Patriots returned to the postseason.

The production stayed high even into his late 30s. In 2011, he threw for 5,235 yards and 39 touchdowns. He followed with 4,827 yards and 34 scores in 2012. Those seasons lined up with continued deep playoff runs and another Super Bowl appearance. Brady also led the league in touchdown passes four times and in passer rating twice during his time in New England. His interception percentage ranked among the league leaders in multiple seasons.

The 2016 season produced one of the most memorable games in Super Bowl history. Brady threw for 466 yards as the Patriots erased a 28-3 deficit against the Falcons and won in overtime. He earned his fourth Super Bowl MVP. In 2017, he led the NFL in passing yards with 4,577 and won his third regular-season MVP at age 40. The Patriots reached Super Bowl LII but lost to the Eagles despite Brady’s 505-yard performance. He closed his Patriots tenure with a sixth championship in Super Bowl LIII, a 13-3 win over the Rams.

Brady’s style centered on quick decision-making, accuracy in the short and intermediate areas, and the ability to extend plays when needed. He rarely forced throws and consistently found open receivers within the offense's structure. That approach produced sustained efficiency across two decades. From 2001 through 2019, he started every season the Patriots played and never finished with a losing record as the starter. He earned 14 Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro honors while in New England.

After the 2019 season, Brady left the Patriots as a free agent and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He led Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl title in his first year there before retiring after the 2022 season. With New England, he finished with 74,571 passing yards and 541 touchdowns across 19 seasons as the starter. Those totals, paired with six Super Bowl wins and three regular-season MVPs, placed him at the top of every relevant franchise record.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame inducted him in 2024. He had already been named to the 2000s and 2010s All-Decade Teams and the NFL 100th Anniversary Team. Both the individual awards and the championships reflected a career that redefined what sustained excellence at the quarterback position could look like. Brady never had a losing season as a starter in New England and led the team to 17 division titles. No other quarterback has matched the combination of regular-season production and postseason success he produced while wearing a Patriots uniform. His Approximate Value of 280 with the team remains the highest total in NFL history. When the league eventually selects a 200th Anniversary Team, Brady’s place on it will not be in doubt. The numbers and the rings leave little room for debate.

Hell, if someone takes this over for us 100 years from now, won’t Tom Brady still be on top?