Sports Info Blog
Kurt Simmons
COMM 415 Sports Information
Sports Information Blog
The Great GOAT Debate
Every year we see this debate caption flash across the screen during sports talk tv and radio. Some may wonder why are you debating about a goat? Well in sports terms this is one of the best things to be called. This means you are the greatest of all time (GOAT). In basketball, we often hear about Michael Jordan versus Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan versus Lebron James. The conversations often get emotional, and fans show loyalty to the ones they believe deserve the GOAT crown the most. In recent years, we have seen this debate emerge within the NFL.
Over the long, great history of the NFL, we have seen so many great players. We have seen stars at every single position of the field, but it is important to understand what position is most important. This question alone can be a great debate, but it is widely recognized that the quarterback is often the general on the field. They must know every position's job on every single play. They must be athletic enough to dodge and evade big defensive lineman and complete a beautiful pass right between defensive backs. This just shows how important the quarterback is viewed. With this said, position alone will not determine GOAT worthiness. Each week I will judge the candidates through 3 main criteria.
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Length of career excellence
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What they overcame to succeed
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Number of Super Bowl wins
In the end this debate is subjective, but there are some participants that sure make a great case for the title of GOAT.
First GOAT Candidate: Tom Brady
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One player who many believe fills this spot, as of 2021, is Tom Brady. He will be the first in this series of GOAT candidates. So much has been discussed about Tom’s dynasty in New England with six Super Bowls. I will dive into his recent venture down to “Tompa Bay” and how it is the icing on the cake of his extraordinary career.
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Tom Brady has one of the most historic careers in NFL history. Just recently, we all witnessed Tom win his seventh Super Bowl. All the previous six were with the New England Patriots over a phenomenal 20-year span. In his first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the 43-year-old quarterback made it happen once again. This is where I want to start. Before Super Bowl 55, Tom Brady had an amazing career, and made a dynasty in New England that will never be forgotten. With this said, the argument can be made that this was his most impressive feat yet.
Let us look at some of the key factors going into Super Bowl 55.
Round one: NFC wildcard game
In the NFC wild-card round of the playoffs, Tom Brady went into Washington D.C. and won a playoff game against the Football Team 31-23 (formerly the Washington Redskins). Washington had the fourth-ranked defense in the entire league this season (NFL Team Defense Rankings 2020-21, 2021).
Round two: NFC divisional game
Next, he traveled to the New Orleans Saints and took on the future hall of famer Drew Brees in the NFC divisional round. The Buccaneers won this game 30-20. This is where many NFL viewers gave up on Brady and the Buccaneers. The general feeling around NFL circles was that just making it this far was impressive. Little did we know that was only part of the journey.
Round three: NFC championship game
Next in line, was to travel all the way up to Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Mind you, this was in January. The temperatures were 29 degrees at kickoff (NFC Championship Game: What's the weather forecast for Bucs vs. Packers, 2021). There was no way Tom Brady would take a warm-weather team up to the Frozen Tundra and beat the red-hot Packers, quarterbacked by the NFL’s 2020-2021 MVP Aaron Rodgers. In stunning fashion, Brady led the Buccaneers to a 31-26 NFC Championship Game victory to send them to Super Bowl 55.
The Big Event (Super Bowl 55)
At 43, Tom Brady just completed an amazing season and beat the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl 55. A nugget that you may not know is how dedicated Brady was in this two-week period in preparation for the Super Bowl. It has been reported that “his family has been out of town and will not return until Saturday, leaving him in an empty house that has allowed him to focus completely on football preparations” (Maske, 2021, n.p.). In a short clip, Randy Moss, a former teammate, and hall of famer, discusses the greatness of Tom Brady’s approach to football.
-I will put this URL as a video directly in the blog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFYWDI3tzUA
His strong dedication and commitment are big parts of what lead to his seventh Super Bowl win. Many consider this to be his most impressive. You might be wondering what about the 28-3 comeback win against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl 51? While that was incredibly impressive, it is important to note that this was Tom Brady’s first season with a new team in 21 years. He did not have the great “system” of Bill Belichick that so many claim is the reason for Brady’s success. This was the greatest argument against Tom Brady being the GOAT of the NFL. “He was carried by a great coach and great defenses” is something you would hear many anti-Brady enthusiasts say. Well, now Tom Brady just took the same team that was 7-9 the season before and made them Super Bowl champions in his first year at the helm.
One Final Thought
Maybe you are sitting here reading this and wondering how people could still say Tom Brady is not the GOAT. Another portion of you probably still disagree, you have never thought Tom Brady was the GOAT and never will. I would like to leave you with one final argument on why Tom Brady may be the GOAT. In the NFL, Super Bowls are the ultimate goal. Let us look at the most successful teams in terms of Super Bowls.
Here is a top 10 list of the NFL franchises with the most Super Bowl victories. That is odd, one appears to be a player, not a franchise. (Smith, 2021, n.p.)
Franchises
# of Super Bowl’s
Brady
7
Patriots
6
Steelers
6
Cowboys
5
49ers
5
Packers
4
Giants
4
Washington
3
Broncos
3
Raiders
3
Work Cited:
Easterling, L. (2021, January 23). NFC Championship game: What's the weather forecast for bucs vs. Packers? Retrieved February 08, 2021, from https://bucswire.usatoday.com/2021/01/23/nfc-championship-game-weather-forecast-bucs-packers-lambeau-field/
Maske, M. (2021, February 02). Tom Brady says He 'definitely' would consider playing beyond age 45. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/02/01/tom-brady-super-bowl-55-age-43/
Smith, M. D. (2021, February 8). Tom Brady has won more Super Bowls than any NFL franchise. Retrieved February 12, 2021, from https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/tom-brady-has-won-more-super-bowls-than-any-nfl-franchise/ar-BB1duqzU
Who has the best defense in The nfl 2020? (2021). Retrieved February 08, 2021, from https://www.lineups.com/nfl-team-rankings/defense


