Honestly, it feels like a glitch in the Matrix now. You look at the stats, the seven rings, and the gold jacket waiting in Canton, and it’s basically impossible to wrap your head around the fact that Tom Brady wasn't some blue-chip phenom. People ask what year was Brady drafted because they want to find the moment the league missed the greatest of all time.
The year was 2000.
April 16, 2000, to be exact. It was a Sunday. While most people were probably thinking about the upcoming millennium summer or listening to whatever was on the radio, the New England Patriots were sitting in a draft room at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. They had a compensatory pick. Selection number 199.
They used it on a skinny kid from Michigan named Tom Brady. He was the seventh quarterback taken that year. Imagine that. Six guys—Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger, and Spergon Wynn—all went before the GOAT. It’s the kind of sports trivia that makes scouts wake up in a cold sweat.
📖 Related: Iraq vs Palestine World Cup Qualifiers: What Really Happened on the Pitch
The Scouting Report That Got Everything Wrong
Looking back at the 2000 NFL Draft notes on Brady is like reading a comedy script. Scouts weren't just skeptical; they were borderline mean. One report literally described him as "frail."
He showed up to the NFL Combine looking, well, like a regular guy. He wasn't ripped. He didn't have a "cannon" for an arm. His 40-yard dash was a 5.28. To put that in perspective, there were offensive linemen—guys weighing 300-plus pounds—who ran faster than him that year.
- Height: 6'4"
- Weight: 211 lbs (but looked skinnier)
- The "Negatives": Poor build, lacks mobility, lacks a really strong arm.
The experts saw a "system player" who couldn't ad-lib. They saw a guy who had to fight for his starting job at Michigan against Drew Henson. What they didn't see was the "it" factor. Bill Belichick, however, noticed something different. He saw a guy who was poised under pressure.
Why the Patriots Almost Didn't Take Him
There’s this misconception that the Patriots had some secret master plan. They didn't. They already had Drew Bledsoe, who was a franchise superstar at the time. They also had two other quarterbacks on the roster. Taking a fourth QB was almost unheard of.
Basically, the only reason Brady ended up in New England is because he was still there at pick 199. The Patriots' value board had him rated much higher than the sixth round, and eventually, Belichick just couldn't ignore the value anymore.
It was actually a compensatory pick that did it. The NFL awards these extra picks to teams that lose free agents. In 1999, the Patriots lost four guys, including punter/quarterback Tom Tupa. Because of those losses, they got pick 199. If Tupa hadn't signed with the Jets, Brady might have ended up on a different team—or not drafted at all.
The Quarterbacks Drafted Ahead of Brady in 2000
- Chad Pennington (Round 1, Pick 18 - Jets)
- Giovanni Carmazzi (Round 3, Pick 65 - 49ers)
- Chris Redman (Round 3, Pick 75 - Ravens)
- Tee Martin (Round 5, Pick 163 - Steelers)
- Marc Bulger (Round 6, Pick 168 - Saints)
- Spergon Wynn (Round 6, Pick 183 - Browns)
The 49ers passing on him twice—the team he grew up rooting for in San Mateo—is the stuff of legends. Brady reportedly told his family he wouldn't even root for them again after that. He took it personally. That chip on his shoulder became his superpower.
The Michigan Struggle
A huge part of why he fell so far in the 2000 draft was his situation at the University of Michigan. He wasn't the undisputed "guy." Coach Lloyd Carr frequently platooned him with Drew Henson, the local hero and two-sport star.
Even though Brady led an incredible comeback victory over Alabama in the Orange Bowl (throwing for 369 yards and 4 touchdowns), scouts were worried that he couldn't even beat out a sophomore for the full-time job. They ignored the fact that every time the team was in trouble, they put Brady in to save them. He was a winner, but the "measurables" were ugly.
What Really Happened After the Draft
When Brady showed up to training camp in 2000, he was fourth on the depth chart. He was basically a "camp arm." But he didn't act like it. There’s a famous story of him walking up to owner Robert Kraft and saying, "I'm the best decision this organization has ever made."
That’s bold for a guy who was pick 199.
He spent most of that 2000 season on the bench, appearing in only one game and completing one pass for six yards. It wasn't until 2001, when Mo Lewis of the Jets knocked Drew Bledsoe out of a game, that the Brady era truly began. The rest, as they say, is history.
The Legacy of the 2000 Draft
We’re never going to see another pick like this. The way teams scout now, with advanced analytics and GPS tracking, a guy with Brady's collegiate production and size wouldn't fly under the radar until the sixth round. He is the ultimate "outlier."
If you're wondering what year was Brady drafted because you're looking for inspiration, the lesson is pretty simple. The "experts" are often wrong because they prioritize what they can measure (speed, height, bench press) over what they can't (composure, leadership, and a psychotic work ethic).
Your Next Steps to Mastering NFL History
If you really want to understand the impact of the 2000 draft, you should look into the "Brady Six." It's a documentary that tracks the lives of the six quarterbacks taken before him. It’s a fascinating, and somewhat heartbreaking, look at how fleeting NFL success can be.
You might also want to research "compensatory picks" and how the formula works. It’s a bit of a "black box" in the NFL, but understanding it explains how teams like the Patriots find gems late in the draft.
Finally, go watch his 2000 NFL Combine footage. It's on YouTube. Watch the way he runs and then look at his Super Bowl highlights. It’s the best reminder that where you start doesn't define where you finish.