Six former NFL players started, ended careers and made Hall of Fame during Tom Brady's career
Tom Brady announced his retirement (again) on Tuesday. It's been nearly 23 years since the 45-year-old was selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots.
Brady's first-ballot Hall of Fame career lasted so long, that half a dozen former NFL players started and ended their playing days, waited the necessary five years and were voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame while "TB12" was still on the gridiron.
Chicago Bears legend Brian Urlacher was selected five rounds earlier than Brady in the 2000 event and spent his entire 13-year career in the "Windy City." Urlacher retired following the 2012 campaign and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018, months before Brady won his sixth and final Super Bowl during his days with the Patriots.
LaDainian Tomlinson was drafted fifth overall in 2001 and finished as the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year runner-up, as Brady took over as New England's starting signal-caller in Week 2 following Drew Bledsoe's injury, earned his first Pro Bowl and led the team to a stunning upset of the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. Tomlinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017, the same year Brady won his final regular season MVP award.
Steve Hutchinson is the oldest of the group of six -- just three months younger than Brady -- and was drafted 17th overall by the Seattle Seahawks in 2001. He retired after 12 seasons and was inducted into Canton in 2020, sixth months before the "GOAT" won Super Bowl LV in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Ed Reed was taken 24th overall in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, which preceded Brady's lone campaign as the Patriots starting quarterback where the team didn't make the playoffs. Reed retired after the 2013 season and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019, one month before Brady's final year with the Pats began.
Troy Polamalu spent his entire 12-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being chosen 16th overall in the 2003 draft, which was months ahead of Brady's second Super Bowl season. Polamalu announced his retirement in April 2015 (two month after Brady's Super Bowl XLIX win over the Seahawks) and was inducted into Canton in 2020.
Calvin Johnson is the youngest of the bunch at 37 years old and was drafted second overall by the Detroit Lions in 2007, months before Brady's record-shattering MVP season where he record 50 touchdown passes and nearly led the Patriots to an 19-0 season, before falling short in the Super Bowl. "Megatron" retired after the 2015 campaign and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2021.
More must-reads: