Despite not making the playoffs the previous year

Brady would later lead the mut coins team to an impressive record of 13-5 (11-3 as the starting quarterback) and --after two wild playoff games against the Raiders and Steelers--lead the Patriots franchise to their first Super Bowl victory. If you're familiar with this tale you'll remember that this would not be the last Super Bowl victory.

After beating the undeservedly-named "Greatest Show On Turf" St. Louis Rams, Brady came into 2002 as a defending champion and the week 1 starter. In his 22-year playing career as a starter, he played in 20 of them (we'll talk about his disastrous 2008 season later) and made his way to playoffs 19 times out of the 20 seasons that he played in. The 2002 season was the only one where Brady didn't play in the January game, going 9-7, and then losing on a tiebreaker between three divisions the following year, which instead led the Jets into the postseason. In the early days, it was Brady who was still regarded as a game-manager, even though the season's 28 touchdowns was to be his career high until Randy Moss showed up half an entire decade later. It would also turn out to be Brady's last season in Madden where he'd be rated lower than a 90.

Despite not making the cheap Mut 22 coins playoffs the previous year, Brady would kick off his 2003 season by entering in the club for players aged 90 or more in Madden to be the first time. This particular game was won by cover star and almost cheat the code Michael Vick, but if you were looking for a reliable pocket passer, Brady was the best option. In the real world, Brady would return to the Super Bowl that season and beat a spirited final quarter against the Carolina Panthers, whose Jake Delhomme was being eyed as the next Brady--that would prove unsuccessful. In 2003, and despite two Lombardi trophies by that point there was no way to know how high he'd raise the bar one day.