I can’t believe I’m writing this, but has Tom Brady just surpassed Michael Jordan as the GOAT of all GOATs? When you think GOAT, you think MJ, no question, especially in Chicago. But after Brady and the Bucs completely dominated the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, does he have a case to surpass His Airness as the one true GOAT?
Since this Super Bowl is fresh in all our minds, let’s break down Brady’s career first. The man has won seven (he’s won seven!!!) Super Bowls. The next most in NFL history is Charles Haley who won five during his time with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers. Speaking of the Niners, Joe Montana has the second-most Super Bowl wins at the quarterback position with four. That’s a lot of hardware for Brady’s 10 trips to the Big Game. Looking at his championship ratio, you get a clearer idea of just how dominant Brady has been. Over his 20 seasons as a starter, Brady has made the Super Bowl 50% of the time, and has won it all 35% of the time. In addition to all those rings, Brady has won Super Bowl MVP five times out of his 10 appearances. Not too shabby.
Meanwhile, Jordan won six titles with the Bulls, one less than Brady has now. But one thing Jordan never did was make it to the NBA Finals and lose. In addition, Jordan went six-for-six when it came to bringing home the Finals MVP. However, Jordan hasn’t won the most titles in NBA history. In fact, he just cracks the top-10. Bill Russell holds the record in the NBA with a whopping 11 championships. In terms of championship win rate however, MJ has the edge over Brady. He won it all in 40% of his seasons in the NBA.
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What about longevity? Keep in mind comparing basketball players to football players is a bit like comparing apples to oranges, but Brady’s ability to win as one of the oldest players in the league is remarkable. He won his first Super Bowl in his age 24 season, and won Super Bowl LV as a 43-year-old. His championship window covers his entire 20-year career as a starter. Further, he switched teams this year, proving he wasn’t dependent on Bill Belichick to win. You can’t diminish the impact roster additions like Leonard Fournette, Anotonio Brown, Rob Gronkowski and the host of Bucs rookies made on the season, but Brady stands out as the biggest factor in the Bucs turning from a 7-9 team in 2019 to champs in 2020.
Not sure if this is truly a knock against Jordan, but once the Bulls championship window opened it was wide open. Once the Bulls decided to move on from head coach Phil Jackson— well, we all remember “The Last Dance.” Unlike Brady, Jordan was unable to win a title with any other coach. Jordan tried to make a comeback for two seasons with the Wizards when he was 38 and 39 years old, but it didn’t go very well.
When it comes to records, both guys have their names etched all over their respective sport’s history. However, when looking at each player’s impact on his sport, outside of the stat sheet, one man pulls ahead. Tom Brady hasn’t revolutionized the way quarterbacks play the game, he’s simply perfected it. If anything, Brady represents an old-guard of the NFL, while dual-threat QBs like Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen try to take over. So far, Brady clearly has kept his throne.
On the other hand, Jordan left an indelible mark on the NBA. His unbelievable talent not only changed the way teams formed their rosters, he completely changed how franchises approached the game. When Jordan entered the NBA it was ruled by big men and dominating front courts. But when he left it was a shooter’s league. Superstars no longer fit the mold of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Instead, Jordan paved the way for guys like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
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If the Bulls hadn’t broken up in 1998 could they have won another title or two to bolster Jordan’s jewelry collection? No one knows. All we do know is Jordan ushered in a completely new era of basketball, while Brady merely dominated his. Brady is clearly the greatest quarterback to ever play football, but Jordan’s monumental impact on his sport makes him the GOAT of GOATs.
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