Greatest Moments of Tom Brady's Career With the Patriots

It was reported months ago that Tom Brady desired to test free agency, but only in the last couple of weeks was it reported that the 42-year-old superstar was seriously considering leaving New England. Even then, analysts and skeptics refused to ponder a reality where Brady wasn't quarterbacking the Patriots.

On Tuesday, however, TB12 finally put fans out of their misery by announcing on social media that he wouldn't be returning to Foxborough. Subsequently, NFL insider Ian Rapoport disclosed that the six-time Super Bowl champ is on the verge of agreeing to a deal reportedly worth $30 million per season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Now that Brady's 20-year career with New England is done and dusted, it's only right that we reflect on some of his greatest moments with the franchise.

5. Winning MVP at 40 Years Old

Brady was once again out for revenge three seasons back, only this time, it was against the media loudmouths who declared he would fall off the proverbial cliff at age 40. How did he respond? By becoming the oldest player in NFL history to hoist the league MVP trophy after throwing for 4,577 yards an 32 touchdowns while leading the Patriots to the No. 1 seed in the AFC. New England would end up losing to the Eagles in the Super Bowl, but that was not the fault of Brady, who amassed 505 yards and three scores through the air.

4. Improbable 2007 Season

Yes, the 2007 season ended with a Super Bowl loss to the Giants, but it will undeniably go down as Brady's most groundbreaking campaign in the NFL on the stat sheet. Thanks to TB12, the Patriots became the first team in league history to finish the regular season undefeated at 16-0. Brady took home his first MVP award after throwing for a then-career-high 4,806 yards and becoming the first player in NFL history to throw for 50 touchdowns. For a player that made a living in the playoffs, Brady's sensational 2007 regular season -- and his effervescent partnership with Randy Moss -- deserve massive acclaim.

3. Comeback Against the Seahawks in XLIX

Like their later comeback against the Falcons, Brady's heroic efforts in this game often get overlooked by Pete Carroll's boneheaded decision not to hand the rock to Marshawn Lynch on the one-yard line. Brady went on to throw four touchdowns, including the go-ahead score to Julian Edelman with less than three minutes remaining in regulation. He led the Patriots back from a 10-point deficit on his way to capture his first Super Bowl title in a decade. Brady was on a mission against the NFL in the wake of "Deflategate," and capped the quest off in fitting fashion.

2. First Super Bowl Title

The legend of Tom Brady and the Patriots dynasty was born after New England toppled the double-digit favorite St. Louis Rams, a.k.a. the Greatest Show on Turf, in Super Bowl XXXVI. Brady didn't stuff the stat sheet, but he didn't commit a turnover and led the drive that set up Adam Vinatieri's game-winning field goal. The rest is history.

1. The Comeback From 28-3 Deficit in Super Bowl LI

Super Bowl LI has become a legendary meme used to disparage the Falcons, but this was undeniably the greatest moment of Brady's career. When the Pats fell down 28-3, almost every viewer (111.3 million, according to Nielsen) wrote them off. New England's offense famously exploded, while the Falcons' preposterously faltered. Brady caught fire and forced overtime after trailing 28-20 in the waning moments of regulation, and in OT, he completed 4-5 passes for 50 yards to set up James White's two-yard, game-winning scamper to complete the greatest comeback in Super Bowl history. Brady was rightfully awarded game MVP honors after throwing for 416 yards and four touchdowns. It was speculated long before this game, but this comeback sealed Brady's status as the greatest football player of all-time.