Patriots Legend Shockingly Snubbed From Controversial Super Bowl Rankings
Pro Football Focus, aka PFF, kicked off Super Bowl week by releasing a list of its eight highest-graded quarterback performances in the Super Bowl since 2006.
Shockingly, Tom Brady was nowhere to be found.
Brady played in seven Super Bowls over the last 20 years, winning four. He had multiple iconic performances during that time, including his comeback against the Seattle Seahawks, his historic 28-3 comeback against the Atlanta Falcons and his historic showing against the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s a strange list, starting with the fact that it’s a top eight rather than a top 10. Patrick Mahomes only appears once from his five Super Bowl appearances. Meanwhile, Nick Foles tops the list at 92.3 and Jalen Hurts appears twice. Eli Manning and Joe Flacco also appear once along with Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson.
Seven of the top eight came from the winning team. The only exception was Hurts in 2022, who had the second-highest grade on the list and outperformed Mahomes that year, who beat him.
Brady wasn’t always the best statistical quarterback, often winning by making the right play, thriving under pressure and saving his best for last. He did what had to be done to win, even if it meant handing the ball off or settling for field goals on certain drives.
Perhaps that’s why this PFF list doesn’t give him the respect he deserves. It doesn’t factor in the pressure of mounting a 25-point comeback or beating one of the best defenses in recent memory.
Will Drake Maye add his name to this list on Sunday? Time will tell, but even if he doesn’t, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.