Another Super Bowl championship was enough for Tom Brady to land at No. 1 on Pro Football Focus' top 10 quarterbacks ranking entering the 2019 NFL season.
PFF slotted the New England Patriots quarterback just ahead of New Orleans Saints star Drew Brees in second place and Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes in third place. Brady and the Patriots beat Mahomes twice last season, including the AFC Championship Game at Arrowhead Stadium.
Here's what PFF had to say about ranking Brady in the top spot:
Yes, he’s still the best in the business.
Even at 41 years old, Brady turned in an elite 90.6 overall grade in 2018, making it the fourth consecutive season he’s earned an overall grade of 90.0-plus. His passing grade on passes with a step of separation over the last three years leads all qualifying signal-callers, and his passing grade on tight-window throws ranks fourth on the list. Surprising no one, Brady also earned a starting role on PFF’s 2018 NFL Clutch Team for his efforts in one-score games this past season.
Brady didn't have one of his best statistical seasons in 2018 -- although most quarterbacks would love to throw for 4,355 yards with 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions -- but he made so many clutch plays, particularly in the AFC title game on the road. The 41-year-old quarterback led two late touchdown drives versus the Chiefs, one in the fourth quarter and another in overtime. Brady was 3-for-3 on 3rd-and-10+ situations on the overtime-winning drive. He wasn't spectacular in Super Bowl LIII, but he went 4-for-4 on the fourth-quarter drive where New England scored the first and only touchdown of the game to take a 10-3 lead.
Mahomes appears to be the heir to Brady's throne as the best quarterback in the league, and it's quite possible the reigning league MVP claims that title as soon as the upcoming season. That said, Brady deserves to be No. 1 entering 2019 after he navigated through a difficult 2018 campaign that saw him lose multiple receivers and tight ends to injuries and suspensions, all while leading the franchise to its sixth Super Bowl title with playoff wins over three fantastic opponents.
Click for Phil Perry's latest 53-man Patriots roster projection>>>
New England Patriots
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.