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As Combine Coverage Returns, Tom Brady’s 2000 Workout Endures as the Cautionary Tale

The renewed focus underscores the limits of pre-draft testing in predicting long-term quarterback success.

Overview

  • Brady’s 2000 Combine featured a 5.28-second 40-yard dash, a 24.5-inch vertical and a 4.38-second short shuttle, and he skipped multiple drills including the bench press, broad jump and 60-yard shuttle.
  • New England drafted him 199th overall in the sixth round, a humble start that preceded seven Super Bowl titles with the Patriots and Buccaneers.
  • Contemporary scouting reports cited a thin frame and an “adequate” arm, while a Wonderlic score of 33 and notes on accuracy and poise drew limited optimism.
  • The now-viral shirtless Combine photo remains a recurring reference point, and Brady has publicly joked about it as a marker of his beginnings.
  • Following retirement after the 2022 season, Brady signed a reported 10-year, $375 million deal with FOX Sports and now works in the broadcast booth.