NFL World Reacts To Drew Bledsoe Injury Anniversary
20 years ago today, a play during a Week 2 New England Patriots vs. New York Jets game changed NFL history. Mo Lewis knocked Pats quarterback Drew Bledsoe out of the game on a huge hit. In stepped largely unknown backup Tom Brady, who had one pass attempt as a rookie the year before.
On a play deep in Patriots territory, Bledsoe was flushed out of the pocket. He attempted to reach the first down marker with his legs, not generally a strength for Bledsoe, taking a wallop from Lewis just short.
Brady entered the game, and completed 5-of-10 passes for 46 yards, running once for nine yards. It certainly wasn’t the kind of first significant appearance that screamed “greatest quarterback ever,” but just months later, he led the team to its first Super Bowl.
Fast forward to 2021, and Brady has seven Super Bowls under his belt, with two different teams. It’s hard to argue against him as the greatest quarterback, if not the greatest NFL player, of all time. And it all started with one play in an early-season AFC East game.
20 years ago today: #Patriots QB Drew Bledsoe was knocked out of the game after this hit by #Jets LB Mo Lewis.
Tom Brady would replace Bledsoe.
The rest is history.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 23, 2021
20 Years Ago Today: Mo Lewis hits Pats QB Drew Bledsoe late in 4th quarter.
Bledsoe comes in for one more series.
Backup, a sixth round pick from Michigan named Tom Brady, comes in.
Bledsoe never gets his job back. @TomBrady becomes the 🐐
(My signed ticket from game) pic.twitter.com/aYDvmGN8Fj
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) September 23, 2021
Today marks the 20-year anniversary of Tom Brady replacing Drew Bledsoe against the Jets after Bledsoe was injured on a hit by Mo Lewis.
Since then, Brady has…
7 Super Bowl titles 💍
3 NFL MVP Awards 🏆
590 Pass TD 🏈 pic.twitter.com/yVY3nQVZj6— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 23, 2021
Na all due respect to drew . He’s still legend .. but Pats gotta know Mo Lewis altered the game forever . It’s like #WhatIfMarvel for football https://t.co/AV20Yjttqd
— Wale (@Wale) September 23, 2021
Twenty years ago…
Week 2, 2001…
Mo Lewis hit Drew Bledsoe.You know the rest of the Tom Brady story.
Zach Wilson was two years old that day. Mac Jone was three.
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) September 19, 2021
While the play is best known for bringing Brady into our lives, it was a frightening moment for Drew Bledsoe beyond that. He suffered a sheared blood vessel, which nearly killed him.
Most forget that aspect of the story. Bledsoe admits that he doesn’t enjoy the annual celebration of Sept. 23 for that very reason. He spoke to Sports Illustrated about it back in 2016.
"It's a big celebration of the day I almost died. And that part … I don't like that."
Today's the 20th anniversary of Mo Lewis' hit on @DrewBledsoe, that led to @TomBrady becoming @Patriots starter. Five years ago, I did this story on it with Drew. ⤵️ https://t.co/cZzT8VSs6m
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) September 23, 2021
The team would stick with Tom Brady after the Super Bowl run, while Bledsoe would move on to the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys, playing until 2006. It should also be remembered that the Pats likely don’t get through the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2001 AFC Championship.
Brady left that game with an injury. Bledsoe stepped in, throwing or 102 yards and a touchdown in relief, leading the team to a 24-17 win and a trip to the Super Bowl.
The post NFL World Reacts To Drew Bledsoe Injury Anniversary appeared first on The Spun.
