Tom Brady retired on Tuesday, ending in one fell swoop a week of speculation over his future and one of the greatest NFL careers of all time — if not the greatest.
It's no hyperbole to consider Brady among the game's greatest players — indeed, one of the greatest athletes in American sports history. He has put together arguably three Hall of Fame careers — one in his 20s, one in his 30s and another, somehow, in his 40s — and has achieved more in his 22 years in the league than some NFL franchises have in the entirety of their teams' histories.
MORE: Tom Brady retires the undisputed NFL GOAT: Why there will never be a 'Next Tom Brady'
Hence, Brady is often referred to as the "GOAT." But what does that mean? The Sporting News is here to answer that question.
What does 'GOAT' mean?
No, Brady being the "GOAT" does not mean he is a hooved barnyard animal — it merely is an acronym for "Greatest Of All Time." That description is pretty apt for Brady, considering not only how well he played in the NFL, but also for how long he played in the league: an astounding 22 years.
As for where the term came from ... well, you can thank the original "GOAT": Muhammad Ali. According to Grammarphobia.com, the earliest known instance of the word came in 1992 and was associated with "The Greatest":
"The earliest example we could find for 'G.O.A.T.' used to mean 'greatest of all time' is from September 1992, when Lonnie Ali, Muhammad Ali’s wife, incorporated Greatest of All Time, Inc. (G.O.A.T. Inc.) to consolidate and license her husband’s intellectual properties for commercial purposes."
The term became more publicly known in 2000, when rapper and hip-hop artist LL Cool J released his album, "G.O.A.T" — also citing Ali as the inspiration behind the album name.
Why is Tom Brady called the 'GOAT'?
Brady is not the first person to be called "GOAT." It's an acronym that applies just as well to athletes such as Ali, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods, Serena Williams, Michael Phelps and others.
As for why Brady himself has earned that acronym: Well, his accolades and numbers speak for themselves. He is a seven-time Super Bowl champion, owning more Lombardi Trophies than any NFL franchise. He is a five-time Super Bowl MVP, more than any other player. He is a three-time NFL MVP, and the oldest to have ever won it (at age 40, in 2017). He is a 15-time Pro Bowler, six-time All-Pro selection and two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He is also a member of two NFL all-decade teams (2000s and 2010s).
Moreover, Brady played 22 years in the league, retiring at the age of 44. He needed four more years in the league to catch the all-time oldest quarterback in league history, George Blanda, who retired at age 48. Unlike Blanda, however, Brady never experienced a drop in play. He continued to compete at a high level in his age-43 and -44 seasons in Tampa Bay after a two-decade stint in New England.
Indeed, Brady arguably had one of his best seasons in his final NFL campaign, registering career highs in several passing marks: attempts (719), completions (485), yards (5,316) and first-down completions (269). Several other marks — 67.5 completion percentage, 43 touchdowns, 312.7 yards per game — ranked as the second-best career highs for Brady.
All while Brady, age 44, was the oldest active player in the NFL. Put simply, his career was compounded not only by his effectiveness and efficiency, not only by his accolades, but also his longevity. He never had a "bad" season, and never experienced the inevitable fall from his prime that nearly every other athlete has. He potentially had years of football left in him. He didn't lose his battle with Father Time, so much as quit while he was ahead.
Tom Brady all-time passer rankings
Of course, Brady's quantifiable stats make a compelling argument for "GOAT" status in and of themselves. Below are his all-time NFL rankings in passing statistics:
Completions
- Tom Brady: 7,263
- Drew Brees: 7,142
- Brett Favre: 6,300
- Peyton Manning: 6,125
- Ben Roethlisberger: 5,440
Attempts
- Tom Brady: 11,317
- Drew Brees: 10,551
- Brett Favre: 10,169
- Peyton Manning: 9,380
- Ben Roethlisberger: 8,443
Yards
- Tom Brady: 84,520
- Drew Brees: 80,358
- Peyton Manning: 71,940
- Brett Favre: 71,838
- Ben Roethlisberger: 64,088
Touchdowns
- Tom Brady: 624
- Drew Brees: 571
- Peyton Manning: 539
- Brett Favre: 508
- Aaron Rodgers: 449
