When it comes to celebrities in the NFL, there’s no one more popular than Tom Brady. He’s the guy on the cover of every magazine, the guy who gets the most press, and the guy every fan most wants to be like.
But during most of his college career at Michigan, Brady was the guy most fans wanted out of the starting lineup for good.
After watching Michigan win the NCAA Championship in the Rose Bowl in 1997, Brady was thrust into the spotlight in 1998 in his first full year of action and charged with defending the Wolverines’ title.
But things got off to a rocky start as UM went on the road and lost their first game to Notre Dame. The following game at home against Syracuse was even worse as Orangemen star quarterback Donovan McNabb came to town and put on a show, sending Michigan to another loss and an 0-2 record.
Michigan was down 38-7 at one point in the game, and that’s when the boos started and the fans started to chant Drew Henson’s name. Henson was the freshman phenom and the hometown hero from nearby Brighton, Michigan, and most people thought it was only a matter of time before he took Brady’s job.
Henson came in and led the team on 3 touchdown drives to make the score look more respectable, setting the stage for the rest of Brady’s career. He would have to hold off Henson for his remaining two years, all while pretending not to hear the boos and constant criticism from fans.
Brady managed to lead the Wolverines to a solid 10-3 record, but fans wanted more. Brady felt the pressure and was set to transfer, but a meeting with head coach Carr helped him change his mind.
Carr would decide to platoon Brady and Henson in most games in 1999, even though Brady remained the starter. Brady had a much better season, but he seemed set to leave Michigan as a relative unknown as fans waited for Henson to take over full-time.
Michigan drew SEC Champion Alabama in the Orange Bowl, and as fate would have it, Brady saved his best game for last.
The underdog Wolverines fell behind 14-0 in that contest as they tried to run the ball but were unsuccessful. UM knew they had to open up the playbook and give Brady a chance to lead them back. Brady hit David Terrell on touchdown passes of 27 yards and 57 yards to knot up the score. But Alabama scored two more times to make it 28-14 and Brady was forced to fight back yet again.
He threw a third TD pass to Terrell to draw the Wolverines within 7 then led another scoring drive to make it 28-28. Brady then drove the Wolverines down again and gave them a chance at a game-winning field goal but Hayden Epstein missed it.
In overtime, Brady wasted no time getting back to work. He hit tight end Shawn Thompson on a perfect pass for a 25-yard score to give UM the 7-point lead. Alabama scored and had a chance to tie but missed the extra point, and Michigan was the victor of a classic Orange Bowl game.
For Brady, the win was vindication for all the trials and tribulations he went through in his career. He had stayed and seen his college career through, and he had grown up and become a man.
Confidence is the most important trait a quarterback can have, and the Orange Bowl win gave him all the confidence he needed heading into his NFL career. His resolve was also strong from dealing with the constant criticism, and the competition between him and Henson made him a better player in the long run.
But when Brady showed up at the NFL combine, the scouts had no idea he possessed those traits because you certainly couldn’t tell by looking at him. Brady was a skinny guy who didn’t wow anybody in the individual drills.
But once he got into the NFL and his physical skills began to match up to his mental skills, a special player began to burst onto the scene, and the rest is history.
He may not have been a superstar at Michigan, but Brady’s said on several occasions that the experience helped him become the superstar he is now in the NFL.
