To almost all NFL fans, Tom Brady, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, has essentially had an asterisk next to his six Super Bowl rings for years. Many, especially broken-hearted Indianapolis Colts fans, like me, who have lost to Brady year after year, have always bashed him for only being able to win with the help of his former coach on the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick.

But this season, Brady has proved all doubters wrong, showing his true worth as a quarterback. After moving to Tampa Bay and joining the Buccaneers, Brady was able to turn the tables with a team that missed the playoffs last season and take them to the Super Bowl, giving himself the chance to break many of his own records and build on his already incredible legacy.

When Brady steps foot onto the field during Super Bowl 55, the 43-year-old quarterback will become the oldest athlete to play in a Super Bowl, breaking his own record he set in 2019. Along with that, he and the Buccaneers will be the first team to ever play the Super Bowl in their home stadium.

Facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs and their young star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, Brady will have arguably the toughest Super Bowl matchup of his career. If Brady is able to take down Mahomes and the powerhouse that is the Chiefs offense, he will put himself in a category of his own when it comes to history’s NFL’s greats.

In my opinion, Brady has only had one competitor when it comes to the NFL GOAT debate since he came into the league 21 seasons ago, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees.
Brees certainly doesn’t have the same amount of rings as Brady, but his career statistics sheet makes a strong case for Brees to be considered the GOAT, especially because he is ahead of Brady in passing yards and completions.

The main case a fan can make for Brees is moreso against Brady rather than in support of Brees, since Brady and Belichick have always come as a pair.

This dynamic duo has been in championship after championship and Brady will be appearing in his 10th Super Bowl on Feb. 7, his first without Belichick. But, the help of Belichick has actually hurt Brady’s legacy, since the argument has always been made that Brady can only win with his coaching.

No one expected Brady to succeed after leaving the Patriots, but he did anyway. If he were to take down the Chiefs without Belichick, Brady will be able to officially crown himself as the GOAT, skyrocketing past any argument for Brees.

Over the years, my family and I have built up a hatred for Brady and his teams after he has beaten the Colts four times in the playoffs throughout his career. But, if he is able to pull off this Super Bowl win without Belichick, I am able to say, even as a Colts fan, that Brady is truly the greatest NFL player of all time.