Tom Brady has the chance to overcome two historic Super Bowl ‘curses’
Regular season success doesn't always result in ultimate victory. And recently, it has meant the opposite.
Patriots fans were likely happy to see Tom Brady honored with the NFL’s 2017 Most Valuable Player award Saturday. But should they instead be worried?
The MVP award hasn’t spelled good things for past winners in the Super Bowl dating back nearly two decades. The most recent example — 2016 MVP Matt Ryan — might ring familiar for New Englanders. But from Cam Newton to Peyton Manning (twice) to Brady himself in 2007 to Shaun Alexander to Rich Gannon, league MVPs have endured a remarkable losing streak in the Super Bowl.
Though not unprecedented, the last league MVP to win ultimate glory was Kurt Warner in 2000.
Tom Brady won NFL MVP.
The last 8 NFL MVP’s to play in that year’s Super Bowl lost. pic.twitter.com/U6r7gLpBVw
— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) February 4, 2018
However, there’s another more historic — if also a bit less heralded — Super Bowl losing streak with which Brady is contending. No other NFL quarterback has ever led the league in passing yards and won the Super Bowl in the 51-year history of the game.
Brady led the league this season with 4,577 passing yards. However, the five quarterbacks in NFL history who have done that and went on the compete in the Super Bowl have all lost, including Brady following the 2007 season.
Tom Brady led the NFL with 4,577 passing yards this season
No player to lead the NFL in pass yards has ever won the Super Bowl in that season (0-5 record)
Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Rich Gannon, Kurt Warner & Dan Marino all lost in the Super Bowl after leading NFL in pass yards pic.twitter.com/l2Nx2fmRWK
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) January 24, 2018
But then again, no other quarterback — or athlete in the four major sports — has been named the league’s MVP at Brady’s age, so he clearly has the knack for the unprecedented.
Must-see photos from Super Bowl LII:
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