An anxious time for a football player who was a college star.
That’s how an ESPN commentator described the build up toward the end of the 2000 NFL Draft, which saw Tom Brady still waiting to hear his name called and five rounds already complete.
There was a better shot of Brady not being drafted than of the former Michigan quarterback finding an NFL team.
And like every other club, the New England Patriots almost passed again on the future seven-time Super Bowl winner.
With the 2025 NFL Draft set for April 24-26 in Green Bay, it’s a perfect time to look back at the most famous draft pick in NFL history — one that didn’t happen until the No. 199 overall selection in 2000.
“We had Tommy drafted as a guy that we probably liked in about the fourth round, maybe the end of the third,” former Patriots executive Scott Pioli exclusively told talkSPORT.
“Every time we got to that area we were talking about the players still left on the board that we had value on. Tommy was one of the guys that we didn’t talk about because you have to draft based on need and best player available.”
Now forgotten football names including David Gibson, Leif Larsen, Emanuel Smith and Matt Bowen were taken before Brady.
The biggest irony is that the Patriots also believed they were set at QB with four-time Pro Bowler Drew Bledsoe.
New England also passed on Brady at pick No. 187, instead taking Virginia defensive back Antwan Harris, who only started two games in four years and totaled one career interception.
GettyBrady was an impressive college QB at Michigan but was overlooked for almost six full rounds in the draft[/caption]
In 2000, Brady was a good college quarterback from Michigan – not a future Hall of Famer who combined with Bill Belichick to create a modern dynasty that spent two decades atop the NFL.
New England already had three quarterbacks on its roster and serious holes to fill.
Drafting another QB didn’t fit the Patriot’s many needs and New England kept passing on Brady like everyone else.
“We would talk about him and we moved on from him. We talked about and then moved on from him,” Pioli said.
“And even in the sixth round, we had two picks and we drafted a corner before that.”
As ESPN televised the draft, a young Mike Tirico referred to Brady as a “familiar name if you’re a college football fan.”
“Smart and experienced” is how NFL draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. referred to Brady, who would spend the next 23 seasons breaking almost every significant passing record and becoming the greatest football player of all time.
“Accurate, throws a very catchable ball,” Kiper said. “He stands in that pocket very tough. He’ll take a hit.
“The question is going to be mobility. He only runs a (5.28) 40. … New England’s offense is already designed for Bledsoe. Now comes Brady — can he overcome that lack of mobility?”
Twenty-five years after the NFL made 198 picks before finally calling his name, Brady is the consensus NFL GOAT.
He’s also a Fox Sports analyst making $375 million over ten years.
Not bad for someone who shed tears admitting they were happy to be drafted just so they didn’t have to become an insurance salesman.
The greatest pick in NFL Draft history is a powerful reminder that the draft is often wrong.
Talent and inner drive normally win out.
Brady was the exception to the norm, and the No. 199 overall pick in 2000 continues to inspire the drafted and undrafted in 2025.
“It finally got to the point where we were looking at ourselves and he’s all by himself,” Pioli said.
We’re on the left side of the board and we’re like, ‘What are we doing here? We’re passing up way too much value.’
“We selected him and it was no stroke of genius. He was our highest-rated player sitting on the board the two picks before that, as well, and we went past him.”
