Tom Brady threw 4,724 regular-season passes at Gillette Stadium as a member of the New England Patriots. It was his eighth pass as a visitor at that stadium that made NFL history.
With a 28-yard pass to WR Mike Evans in the first quarter on Sunday night, Brady passed Drew Brees (80,358 yards) to become the league's all-time leader in passing yards. He did so as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whom he guided to a victory in Super Bowl LV last February after spending 20 years and winning six championships with the Patriots.
Brady now owns the passing "triple crown" in the NFL, as he is also the all-time leader in touchdown passes and quarterback wins. He had 591 touchdowns and 232 wins entering the evening. Brady is just the fifth quarterback to hold the triple crown in the Super Bowl era, joining Johnny Unitas, Fran Tarkenton, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning. Manning most recently earned that distinction in 2015 and held it until Brady passed his total of quarterback wins in 2017.
Brady broke the record not only in front of thousands of Patriots fans who cheered him on for two decades but also a prime-time national audience on NBC Sunday Night Football. He put himself in position to make setting the record against his former team a near lock, throwing for 1,087 yards through the first three weeks of the season, the second-highest total in the league. Brady returned to Foxborough needing just 68 more to surpass Brees.
And, fittingly, Brees was on hand for the passing of the torch as part of NBC's pregame broadcast. The long-time New Orleans Saints quarterback had held the yardage record since passing Manning on October 8, 2018. He retired at the end of the 2020 season, his 20th in the NFL. Meanwhile, Brady is still going in his 22nd season at the age of 44. Brady also surpassed Brees on the career touchdown pass list last season; Brees finished his career with 571.
Brady will be seeking several other milestones before Sunday's game is over. If he records at least 350 passing yards on the night he will set the record by most yards by any quarterback at a single stadium. Brady entered the night with 35,157 career yards at Gillette Stadium; Brees currently holds the record with 35,506 career yards at the Superdome.
If the Buccaneers win Sunday night's game, Brady will also join Brees, Favre and Manning as the only quarterbacks to record victories against all 32 current NFL franchises. It would also be his 116th quarterback win at Gillette Stadium, which would extend the record he already holds for the most by a quarterback at any one stadium. John Elway is a distant second on the list with 95 career wins at Mile High Stadium in Denver.
View some of the best pictures of QB Tom Brady from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Week 4 game against the New England Patriots
Tom Brady returns to New England.
Tom Brady returns to New England.
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
Bucs vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
QB Tom Brady vs. Patriots
