22 photos that encapsulate each year of Tom Brady's illustrious NFL career

The New England Patriots select Tom Brady with the 199th overall pick in the draft. He begins the year as the team's fourth-string QB before competing to become Drew Bledsoe's primary backup.

In the Patriots' second game of the season, Bledsoe took a big hit in the fourth quarter and suffered internal bleeding, opening the door for Brady to prove his worth. Though the then-22-year-old backup couldn't deliver the come-from-behind victory, he earned the starting nod for the following week and, eventually, the remainder of the season.

Brady turned New England's season on its face; the team that began the year 0-2 transformed into the frontrunner of the AFC East with an 11-5 regular-season record. He torched the Oakland Raiders in their Divisional Round — which is famously known for its controversial Tuck Rule call — before leading the Patriots on a run to Super Bowl XXXVI.

The following calendar year started with a bang for Brady, as the young precision passer finished out the 2001 season by winning his first Super Bowl MVP award and ring in early February.

The 2002 season itself was somewhat underwhelming both for Brady individually and for his New England squad. They finished the season 9-7 and missed the playoffs thanks in part to their new starter's career-low 85.7 single-season passer rating and career-high 14 interceptions. Still, Brady finished the year with nearly 1000 yards more than the season prior and an NFL-leading 28 touchdown passes.

The Patriots opened the 2003 season with an underwhelming 2-2 start but managed to record a whopping 12-straight wins to finish off the regular season. They carried that momentum into the playoffs, dominating the field en route to a last-second victory in Super Bowl XXXVIII and Brady's second-career Super Bowl MVP award.

By the start of the 2004 season, a dynasty was already taking shape in New England. By the season's end, it was fully formed. The Patriots went 14-2 in the regular season, winning the AFC East title and, eventually, their third Super Bowl in four years.

The Patriots' 10-6 record was good enough for a third-straight AFC East title in 2005, but injuries on the offensive side of the ball forced Brady to lean more on his arm and playmaking ability. He wound up earning his third bid to a Pro Bowl before he and New England fell to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round.

Once again, Brady led the Patriots to their fourth-consecutive AFC East title with a 12-4 record, but they stumbled in the postseason. New England barely squeaked out a win in the Divisional Round before giving up a 21-6 halftime lead to Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game.

Brady enjoyed a historic season in 2007 en route to a perfect 16-0 regular-season finish. In one of the greatest passing stretches to that point, Brady threw for 4,806 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes on the year while giving up just eight interceptions. Brady earned his first career MVP award thanks to his stellar string of performances throughout the season.

The Pats cruised to the Super Bowl, where Eli Manning and the New York Giants pulled off one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports and took home the Lombardi Trophy.

Brady struggled with various foot injuries heading into the 2008 season and couldn't participate in preseason activities. In the first quarter of the Patriots' season opener, Brady took a brutal, season-ending hit that tore his ACL and MCL. New England missed the playoffs without Brady under center.

Brady came back with a vengeance in 2009. He led the Patriots to a 10-6 record — and back to the AFC East throne — thanks to 4,398 yards passing and 28 touchdowns on the season despite fracturing a finger and three ribs throughout the year. He earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors before losing the first home playoff game of his career.

Brady built on his fantastic comeback season with an even more impressive 2010 campaign. He threw for 3,900 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just four interceptions to lead the Patriots to a league-best 14-2 regular-season record. Brady's 9:1 touchdown to interception ratio, plus his 111.0 passer rating, helped him earn the second MVP award of his career.

Despite the momentum with which New England entered the postseason, Brady and company saw an early exit from the playoffs in the Divisional Round.

Another season, another AFC East title. New England finished the season 13-3, and Brady threw for a career-high 5,235 yards and bested his total touchdown passes from his MVP season the prior year. The Patriots returned to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 2007 season with a chance to exact revenge against Eli Manning and the New York Giants.

Instead, Brady and company once again faltered against the underdogs and allowed Manning to lead a last-second charge for yet another come-from-behind victory.

Once again, the Patriots earned yet another AFC East championship — their fourth straight and Brady's ninth-consecutive as the team's starter. New England went 12-4 and looked poised to make a deep run into the postseason. Instead, the Pats suffered an upset at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship at Gillette Stadium.

Brady lost nearly all of his regular targets from the past season. Rob Gronkowski was injured, Aaron Hernandez got arrested, Wes Welker and Danny Woodhead left, and Brandon Lloyd was released. Still, Brady threw for 4,343 yards en route to another 12-4 regular-season finish and a second-straight AFC Championship loss.

After a 10-year championship drought, Brady and the Patriots broke through in Super Bowl XLIX after a third-straight 12-4 season. The victory marked Brady's fourth Super Bowl victory — tying Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for most all-time for a starting quarterback — and his third Super Bowl MVP award.

After a tumultuous offseason, which saw Brady facing public and league scrutiny over "Deflategate," New England kicked off the year with 10 straight victories before once again finishing the regular season 12-4. They advanced to the AFC Championship for the fifth-straight year, where they fell to Peyton Manning and the eventual Super Bowl champion, Denver Broncos.

Brady served a four-game suspension for Deflategate to start the season but ultimately led the Patriots to a league-best 14-2 record and yet another AFC Championship. New England famously overcame a 25-point third-quarter deficit against the Atlanta Falcons to win Super Bowl LI, Brady's fifth Super Bowl victory.

During the 2017 season, Brady led the league with 4,577 passing yards and 286.1 yards per game en route to his third league MVP award and a 13-3 regular-season record. The Patriots made their third Super Bowl appearance in four years but fell to Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles in an absolute thriller.

Once again, New England finished the regular season ahead of the pack in the AFC East, marking its 10th-consecutive AFC East title. And despite up-and-comers like Patrick Mahomes threatening to steal the throne from a veteran Brady, the Patriots came out victorious in the AFC Championship before taking down the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII. With the win, Brady became the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl and the only player in NFL history to win six rings.

After departing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, Brady revealed he already knew he would leave the Patriots before the start of the 2019 season. Still, the GOAT led New England to one final AFC East title with a 12-4 record. Brady and the Pats lost in the Wild Card game to the Tennessee Titans, and on what could have been a game-winning drive, Brady threw a pick-six that wound up being the final pass of his Patriots career.

At 43 years old and in the first season of his career away from Foxborough, Massachusetts, Brady was again one of the top quarterbacks. He threw for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns — good for third and second in the league, respectively, and led the Bucs to a Super Bowl victory in their home stadium. It was the seventh Super Bowl ring of Brady's career, giving him more championships than any individual franchise in the NFL.

After their Super Bowl win in the 2020 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers decided to run it back, returning all 22 of their starters in an attempt to go back-to-back.

Through the regular season, Brady was once again brilliant, finishing the year as the NFL leader in passing yards (5,316) and passing touchdowns (43) and leading the Buccaneers to a 13-4 record and NFC South division title. At 44, it was arguably the best statistical season of Brady's career.

One of Brady's 13 wins came against his old team, the New England Patriots, as Brady led the Buccaneers into Foxboro and emerged with a hard-fought 19-17 victory.

Despite the Buccaneers stellar play throughout the regular season, they came up just short in the playoffs. Still, Brady fought valiantly in the effort.

After falling into a 27-3 deficit halfway through the third quarter, Brady and the Buccaneers stormed back, tying the game 27-27 with just 42 seconds left in regulation.

Unfortunately, those 42 seconds were enough for the Rams to navigate their way down the field for a game-winning field goal. Brady was left to watch from the sidelines as his team was eliminated from the playoffs.

Just two weeks later, Brady officially announced his retirement.

"I have always believed the sport of football is an 'all-in' proposition — if a 100% competitive commitment isn't there, you won't succeed, as success is what I love so much about our game," Brady wrote. "There is a physical, mental, and emotional challenge EVERY single day that has allowed me to maximize my highest potential. And I have tried my very best these past 22 years. There are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life.

"This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention."

Brady leaves the NFL as the greatest player of all time.