Tom Brady won't say he's better player than 49ers legend Joe Montana

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As a kid from the Bay Area, Tom Brady grew up watching and idolizing 49ers legendary quarterback Joe Montana.

Montana was the unquestioned greatest quarterback of all time until Brady came on the scene as a sixth-round draft pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. Over the last 20 years, Brady has put together arguably the greatest career in history, winning six Super Bowls, nine AFC titles and 17 AFC East titles. So, is the 42-year-old quarterback ready to say he's taken the GOAT mantle from his childhood hero?

Not a chance.

“I can’t say that," Brady said Wednesday on the "Howard Stern Show." "I would never say that. That’s not how I think about myself. The only thing I care about is am I the best I can be? I’m the best I can be.”

Very predictable answer from the media-savvy Brady.

While Brady won't say if he's a better player than Montana, he certainly is charting a similar course to the one blazed by the 49ers star, choosing to finish his career on his terms.

After spending two decades with the New England Patriots, Brady opted for a new challenge this offseason when he signed a two-year contract to play with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the reported friction between himself and Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Brady opted to pen his final chapter away from the only NFL home he has ever known.

Following the 1992 season, with a quarterback controversy brewing between him and Steve Young, Montana demanded a trade and was dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs where he would end his career.

[RELATED: Report: Belichick offering Brady to 49ers led to QB leaving]

Montana gave a similar answer when he was asked who was the best of all time, saying he didn't believe it was fair based on how the game was played in different eras.

Perhaps one day the two GOATs will sit down and discuss their historic legacies. But for now, Brady is laser-focused on bringing a Super Bowl title to Tampa Bay.

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