We have all seen that iconic photo of Tom Brady, that scrawny, unflattering-looking kid out of Michigan with the baggy boxer shorts. It was the first glimpse of Brady to a large part of football fans, and he didn’t do himself well either by running a 5.28 second 40-yard dash.
While Brady went on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in history and retired as the most decorated with seven Super Bowl rings, he felt that 5.28 seconds wasn’t the “true measure ” of the man he was. Brady then made it his mission to beat that run, and it seems as if he hasn’t lost a step.
46-Year-Old Tom Brady Beats 22-Year-Old Self in 40-Yard Dash
“24 years ago, I ran a 5.28 40-yard dash…This is not the true measure of a man,” Brady said last year in February.
He was then seen shooting a promotional workout video for NOBULL when he decided to give the 40-yard dash another shot.
“Let’s see if we can level up,” Brady announced.
He did level up and, by a significant time, running 5.12 seconds on one clock and 5.18 on another. Assuming the average of the two, 5.15 seconds, beating his 24-year-old self by 0.13 seconds is still incredible.
👏🔥 @TomBrady at 46 was faster than he was at 22
(via @nobull) pic.twitter.com/oPq2shoBBp
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) February 27, 2025
Had Brady run this time at the Combine, he would likely have been picked higher than 199. Nonetheless, Brady would prove to be the greatest draft steal of all time, leading the New England Patriots to nine AFC Championships and six Super Bowl titles.
He spent his last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leading them to their first Super Bowl win in 18 years.
Tom Brady’s 2000 NFL Combine Performance
- 40-yard dash: 5.28 seconds
- Vertical jump: 24.5 inches
- 20-yard short shuttle: 4.38 seconds
- 3-Cone Drill: 7.20s
(Brady didn’t compete in the broad jump, bench press, or 60-yard shuttle drills).
Athletically, Brady was far from a desirable prospect. He ran awkwardly and slowly, and it was evident that he wasn’t going to be a mobile quarterback. But of course, in 2000, things were different at the position.
Barring Michael Vick, who was drafted in 2001, there were very few Kyler Murray or Lamar Jackson types who did the things modern NFL QBs are capable of.
A QB named Tim Rattay was the fastest in the 2000 NFL Draft, recording a 4.91 40-yard dash at the Combine. Vick holds the record for the fastest 40-yard dash among quarterbacks at 4.33.
How Was Brady Viewed As A Prospect?
Here are some of the things scouts and other NFL personnel had to say about Brady prior to his Hall of Fame career.
One scout noted Brady was “Awful. He’s not even on my board. Weak. He’ll make somebody a good husband or a good medical salesman.” Yikes. Another QB coach said, “Backup. Could be a No. 2 in this league for a long time. Has the size but not enough arm.”
A General manager said he liked Brady but wished “he was a better athlete.”
Safe to say that many were wrong about Brady. He continues to be proof that the NFL Combine might not prove anything at all. He also shows that sometimes — just sometimes — the scouts might get it wrong.