15 Years Ago Today: New England Patriots Draft Tom Brady

This is no ordinary Throwback Thursday for New England Patriots fans.

Tom Brady, team quarterback and Brookline resident, was picked in the 2000 NFL Draft 15 years ago.

April 16 is also the birth date of Brady’s fearless mentor Bill Belichick, the coach who brought his Patriots squads to six Super Bowls. The 63-year-old has won nearly 75 percent of the games he’s coached for New England.

Back in Y2K, football minds were not buzzing about the then-22-year-old Brady. A series of All-Pro quarterbacks - including but not limited to Chad Pennington, Chris Redman, Spurgeon Wynn - got drafted before him. But in the sixth round of the draft, the University of Michigan alumnus became pick 166.

Four Vince Lombardi Trophies later, Tom Brady is New England royalty. His touchdowns off the field include his supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen and a 14,000 square-foot mansion in Brookline.

Not too shabby for a regular dude from the ‘burbs of the Bay Area.

Photo: Tom Brady’s NFL scouting combine picture from 2000. Credit: Photobucket