Tom Brady Ranks No. 6 On NFL Network's Top 100 List, But QB Receives Proper Praise As The GOAT
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- Ladies and gentlemen of New England, prepare yourselves for bad news. Protect your loved ones and prepare for the worst. This one's going to hurt.
The infamous cliff has arrived for one Tom Brady.
That at least must be the conclusion drawn after Brady -- for the first time in the nine-year history of the NFL Network's "Top 100" show -- finished outside the top five this year. The Patriots' quarterback came in as just the sixth-best player in the NFL last season.
For shame. That one's going to sting for a while.
Kidding aside, the final two episodes of the NFL Network's special aired Wednesday night, and they revealed that after topping the list at No. 1 for two consecutive years, Brady slipped down to No. 6 in his age 41 season.
Considering he's coming off his record sixth Super Bowl, perhaps the ranking is appropriate.
Tom Brady's Ranking, NFL Top 100
2011: 1st
2012: 4th
2013: 4th
2014: 3rd
2015: 3rd
2016: 2nd
2017: 1st
2018: 1st
2019: 6th
Brady finished as the No. 3-ranked quarterback, behind fellow elder statesman Drew Brees (No. 2) and young gun Patrick Mahomes (No. 4). Aaron Rodgers ranked No. 8, followed by Phillip Rivers (17th), Andrew Luck (20th), Russell Wilson (25th), Jared Goff (32nd), Ben Roethlisberger (44th), Baker Mayfield (50th), Deshaun Watson (51st), Matt Ryan (69th), Kirk Cousins (78th), Cam Newton (87th) and Carson Wentz (96th).
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald earned the top spot, with Rams running back Todd Gurley ranking No. 5. The Rams ended up boasting five players in the top 100, while the Patriots had just four -- Brady, Stephon Gilmore (No. 22), Devin McCourty (No. 89) and Julian Edelman (No. 90). (Rob Gronkowski was voted in to the top 100, but retired players can't make the list. Defensive end Trey Flowers came in at No. 110.)
The rankings are generated by votes from actual NFL players, and though Brady dropped out of the top five for the first time ever, the accompanying video included several NFL players absolutely gushing about him. Here's what those players had to say, with their own rankings in the top 100 included.
"He's won six Super Bowls. He's the Michael Jordan of football."
--Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald (No. 1)"He might put on that little front at the beginning of the season. He might, you know, dye his hair a little bit more gray and whatnot. But come playoff time ... [chuckle] ... he's like Kobe in the fourth, man. ... Come on, man. He the GOAT. I mean, that dude the GOAT."
--Jets safety Jamal Adams (No. 37)"He's never gotten away from the fundamentals. He's never gotten away from technique. He's able to push his teammates to play at a level they wouldn't normally play at. That's why he's the GOAT."
--Broncos linebacker Von Miller (No. 10)"If I ever get a chance to meet Tom Brady -- because it's hard to meet Tom Brady -- it would be an honor. He's the greatest of all time."
--Broncos running back Phillip Lindsay (No. 68)"Any time you get older, there's negativity. But I just don't get it. People say he's falling off, it's just like, what are you watching? ... Just really a competitor. In the Chiefs [regular-season] game he broke off a tackle and rushed it in the end zone. It just shows his fire, his desire to win. And he will do anything. Even when you don't think he can run, he still got it."
--Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy"This season's version of Tom Brady has shown you what mental toughness has looked like. He's battled a lot of adversity, there's a lot of outside noise. ... I've never been around anyone who loves football more than Tom. The drive that he has in Year 19 is even more than when I got here [in 2008]."
--Patriots special teamer Matthew Slater"What is he, 40? 41? 42? 80? He's doing the exact same thing he was a long time ago. I'm looking at my middle school yearbook, like something about pop culture and it shows Tom Brady winning his first Super Bowl. And I said ... what ... how long has this guy been playing?! Are you serious?!"
--Lions defensive lineman Mike Daniels"He really is ridiculous. He really is ridiculous. Just, I mean, how quick he can get rid of the ball. What he sees. Impressive."
--Chargers defensive lineman Joey Bosa (No. 56), mic'd up on sideline of divisional round loss"You don't bet against Brady. Ever. I'm at the Pro Bowl right now. He is ... in the Super Bowl again. Third year in a row. I think, what, nine appearances since 2001? That's NOT BAD."
--Titans tackle Taylor Lewan
The 2018 season was not a statistical monster for Brady, who ranked seventh in passing yards, 10th in touchdown passes and 12th in passer rating. But -- as is always the case -- when his team needed him, Brady delivered. That included 343 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers in the divisional round, 116 passing yards in the final two drives to win the AFC Championship Game, and of course, 67 passing yards to set up the game-winning touchdown of Super Bowl LIII against the Rams.
You can email Michael Hurley or find him on Twitter @michaelFhurley.
