After clinching his seventh Super Bowl victory, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has solidified his status as the greatest of all time (GOAT). Now, Brady owns the NFL record for the most Super Bowl wins by a player. In fact, Brady has more Super Bowl titles than any of the NFL franchises, starting with his former squad, the New England Patriots. But even before Brady accomplished these feats, he has already achieved his GOAT status, according to Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana, ending countless debates on the issue. "I think Tom's taken his place on the top up there a long time ago," Montana said during an interview on ESPN's “First Take” with Stephen A.
Smith, Max Kellerman, and Molly Qerim Rose,
Montana lauds Brady’s accomplishments
Montana was Brady’s childhood idol when the Hall of Famer was still playing for the San Francisco 49ers, where he won four Super Bowl titles in the same number of appearances. Due to his perfect 4-of-4 record in Super Bowls, many consider Montana as the GOAT, but he said Brady is on top of the list just by looking at his accomplishments. "When you look at what Tom's been able to accomplish in his time that he's played, I think it puts him definitely up there at the top of the list,” Montana said, per David Bonilla of 49ers Web Zone. Montana played 16 seasons in the NFL – 14 with the 49ers and two with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Montana finished his career with 40,551 passing yards with 273 touchdowns and 139 interceptions.
Brady undergoes knee surgery
Following the Buccaneers’ 31-9 win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, it was reported that the 43-year-old Brady would undergo a minor knee procedure. In a recent interview, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians said his starting quarterback would be ready by June, but he didn’t mention when was the surgery.
During an interview on "The Late Late Show with James Corden", Brady revealed that he recently underwent surgery, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I actually had knee surgery, so I’m kind of rehabbing now,” said Brady. The veteran quarterback added that rehab has given him something to do in the offseason, but he prefers to be more active like he usually does.
Brady did not provide details on his knee issue and the procedure he underwent, but the The Boston Globe has reported that the surgery is “more than just a little clean-up”. Brady recently announced that he would return for his second season with the Buccaneers and try to win his 8th Super Bowl ring.
The circumstances behind Brady’s knee issue remain unknown or if he already had an injury while leading the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl title since 2002. Brady did not appear in any injury report last season, so that could put the Buccaneers in hot water for not disclosing his injury.
