Some people believe that Tom Brady is the greatest football player of all time.
If you look at the numbers, he is.
But, he could also be seen as a cultural icon for a generation.
Brady was infamously drafted at pick 199 during the 2000 draft.
He is currently playing his 23rd season in the NFL.
That fact alone should tell you a lot about this man.
He has been playing one of the hardest positions in football, at a very high level for nearly a quarter of a century.
This longevity has meant that the majority of current players have grown up watching Brady play.
Some were born after Brady began playing, meaning that they have never known of a time in which Brady was not in the NFL.
This does mean that he has a fair share of people who watched him when they were growing up, and are now playing against him.
We saw an impact of this last night after Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers were defeated by the San Francisco 49ers.
After the 35-7 loss to the #49ersTom Brady stayed around to talk with the Niners defenders and signed Dre Greenlaw’s ball, the one he picked him off with.
“Please, could you sign the ball?”, “You’re the greatest ever. It’s an honor for us, for real.”pic.twitter.com/gkhMfSf56V
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 12, 2022
A Legendary Signature
After the game, Brady stayed and talked with the 49ers defense, who had just dominated him.
Brady even signed the ball from a throw that was intercepted by 49ers defender Dre Greenlaw, and then gave it to Greenlaw.
That is now what Brady has to deal with.
After a win or loss, half of the opposing team approaching Brady, asking him to sign things and generally praising him for all he has done.
Brady’s impact on the current crop of players is clear.
