Tom Brady’s story stands as one of the most remarkable in the history of American sports. Selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, 199th overall, he defied all expectations to become, undeniably, the greatest football player of all time.
It’s been almost three years since Brady retired from the sport and 25 years since he was ignored by 31 NFL scouts in the 2000 Draft and slipped to the New England Patriots in the sixth round. Yet, the sting of rejection hasn’t completely faded, and he took another swipe, albeit a little humorous, at the scouts recently.
Tom Brady Hilariously Fires Shots At NFL Scouts Who Ignored Him 25 Years Ago
A draft-day slide can impact a player’s mindset in many ways. While some experience it as a crushing blow, others channel the disappointment into motivation, using it as a turning point to reflect, grow, and identify precisely where they need to improve. Brady did exactly that.
It served as a turning point in his career, but he always reminded the scouts that they were wrong about him. He did so again at a press conference for the Hall of Excellence at the Fontainebleau Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
“So, I had a decent college career, unbeknownst to any NFL scouts – real geniuses. That draft pick resulted in me being selected as a 6th-round pick, 199th overall, by the New England Patriots.”
Tom Brady and Jim Gray host a press conference for the Hall of Excellence at the… pic.twitter.com/clCB71FVGM
— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) June 19, 2025
“So I had a decent college career, unbeknownst to any of the professional scouts. Those were real geniuses. (Laughs) And that draft card got turned in the sixth round, 199th pick overall. Of course, it was a lonely couple of days when I didn’t get picked in the first or second, or third round like I thought I was gonna get picked,” Brady said.
As Brady said, he had a decent four-year college career at Michigan. He finished his career with a 61.9% completion percentage, throwing for 4,773 yards and 30 touchdowns with 17 interceptions.
However, the majority of the scouts viewed Brady as a prospect lacking in athletic traits and someone who didn’t take many risks on the field. One scout noted Brady was “Awful. He’s not even on my board. Weak. He’ll make somebody a good husband or a good medical salesman.” Yikes. Another QB coach said, “Backup. Could be a No. 2 in this league for a long time. Has the size but not enough arm.”
But Brady’s football IQ and fierce competitiveness stood out, ultimately helping him earn a roster spot under Bill Belichick in 2001. When Drew Bledsoe suffered an injury that season, he stepped in as the starter, and his performance was so impressive that he never relinquished the job, even after Bledsoe recovered.
Over 23 seasons in the NFL, Brady threw for 89,214 yards and 649 touchdowns, won seven Super Bowls, earned three MVP awards, made 15 Pro Bowl appearances, and was named to the All-Pro team three times.
