The GOAT: Tom Brady

Introducing a new podcast from Diversion Podcasts & iHeartRadio. What if we could go back in time, before he became the icon, and ask him: how did you become Kobe Bryant? “I Am Kobe” tells the story of Kobe Bryant's early life through his coaches, his family, his friends. With never-before-heard intimate tapes of Kobe himself. His thoughts, his dreams, his goals from his teenage years, revealed for the first time. Listen to “I Am Kobe” for free on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, and all the places you get podcasts. Listen to his voice. Cover photo © Eileen Blass – USA TODAY NETWORK Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In the season finale, we go behind the scenes of the making of The GOAT: Serena podcast. Hosts Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin are joined by the show's writer, veteran tennis journalist Pete Bodo, to discuss how the podcast came together, their perspectives on Serena Williams, the secret question they asked every guest, and much more. Special guests include Monica Seles, Andy Roddick, Rennae Stubbs, Isha Price, Pam Shriver, Rick Macci, Mary Jo Fernandez, and Mackie Shilstone. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

This episode explores Serena Williams, the wife, mother and GOAT. Hosts Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison discuss how Serena has juggled all these things and still manages to operate at the highest level in professional tennis. They are also joined by Serena's longtime agent, Jill Smoller, who provides rare, candid insight into Serena's mindset and the determination and drive that has allowed her to still be the undisputed GOAT at the age of 40. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In this special episode, hosts Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison break from the typical format and share their thoughts on the two most magical words in tennis - Grand Slams. They discuss Serena Williams' most memorable Grand Slam wins, detail what it's like to face her on the court, and the highs and lows of some of Serena's biggest matches, including her first major win at the 1999 US Open, the 2017 Australian Open, won while 8 weeks pregnant, and her crushing loss to Roberta Vinci at the 2015 US Open. Mary Carillo and Patrick Mouratoglou also provide some insight on the inner-thoughts of Serena Williams.    The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In this episode, hosts Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison discuss some of Serena Williams' career highlights, including her best matches and her top rivals. Guests include a who's who of tennis royalty: Patrick Mouratoglou, Andy Roddick, Mary Carillo, Rick Macci, Mary Joe Fernandez, Rosie Casals, Benny Sims and broadcaster Robin Roberts. The conversation consists of in-depth analysis and breaking down some of Serena's biggest matches against her sister Venus, Martina Hingis, Jennifer Capriati and Maria Sharapova over her more than 20 year career. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Former tennis pros Pam Shriver and Rennae Stubbs, both still in the game as broadcasters, join hosts Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison to explore the qualities that have enabled Serena Williams to withstand the stress of life at the top and the mental strength that's kept her there for more than two decades. They also discuss mental health in sports in general and high profile athletes who've struggled, at times, with mental health in the public eye, such as tennis pros Naomi Osaka and Mardy Fish, along with Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. This is episode 2 of a 2-episode arc. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Special guests Martina Navratilova, 18-time Grand Slam champion and tennis Hall-of-Famer, along with Mackie Shilstone, fitness trainer to Serena Williams, Peyton Manning, Roy Jones Jr. and many other professional athletes, join hosts Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison to dive into the details on the longevity of Serena's career. They discuss how Serena has remained in shape and relevant for over two decades, and detail some previously unheard stories about Serena's strength and determination, as well as some priceless personal anecdotes. This is episode 1 of a 2-episode arc. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Special guests Patrick Mouratoglou, Serena Williams' coach since 2012, and Mary Carillo, award-winning tennis and Olympic Games TV correspondent, join hosts Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison to examine the role of stress, conflict, and controversy in Serena's career. From the amusing ones, like Serena's denim skirt at the 2004 US Open and her infamous “biker boots” leg warmers, to the painful and difficult ones, like the 2018 US Open final between Serena and Naomi Osaka, and the others that sparked painful conversations around race, gender, and the fundamentals of fair play. Together these isolated incidents have helped shape Serena in the public eye. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Production Assistant: Anita Okoye. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

This week's special guests Common, Oscar and Grammy Award winning rapper, writer, actor, and activist, and Andy Roddick, former world No. 1 tennis player, join hosts Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison for a deep dive into the dazzling world Serena Williams occupies as one of the world's most recognizable celebrities. We also hear from Serena's sister, Isha Price, to talk about Serena as a brand, beyond the tennis court, and why it was important for her to create a life for herself outside of sports. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Production Assistant: Anita Okoye. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The path of tennis for Black players has been a long one filled with daunting obstacles and immense triumphs. Before Serena Williams, it was paved by Hall of Famers Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe along with our own Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin, among others. Serena, the greatest tennis player of all time and an icon in her own right, has inspired many people of color within and beyond the sport. Hosts Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin along with Katrina Adams, former professional tennis player and the first African-American president, chairman, and CEO of the United States Tennis Association and Robin Roberts, the host of Good Morning America and a former athlete herself, explore how Serena forced the culture at large to re-examine its assumptions about race and other issues surrounding women, sports, culture and society.  The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Production Assistant: Anita Okoye. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Serena Williams has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, making her the most decorated singles tennis player of the Open era. The question is, what exactly makes an all-time Grand Slam singles champion? Starting with Serena's first Grand Slam win at the US Open in 1999, hosts Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin track her path to becoming the greatest of all time with stories and insight from tennis hall of famer and icon Billie Jean King and renowned tennis coach Kamau Murray. In this episode, you'll learn that winning big isn't just about having talent on the court, but it's much more. It's a full time job that requires the right attitude, passion, and strategy - all of which Serena possesses.   The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Production Assistant: Anita Okoye. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

No GOAT has achieved exceptional levels of success on their own. In the case of Serena Williams, besides her one-of-a-kind talent, discipline, and ambition, she had the power of sisterhood to support her through the ups and downs of her tennis career and personal life. Hosts Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison take an in-depth look at Serena and Venus Williams' unwavering relationship, their mother Oracene's influence, and the overall importance of Serena surrounding herself with supportive women. Conversations include Serena's older sister and business manager Isha Price and tennis champions Monica Seles and Andy Roddick, who had front-row views on Serena's formative years. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Production Assistant: Anita Okoye. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about THE GOAT at DiversionPodcasts.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Before she was The Greatest of All Time, Serena Williams was the younger half of a tennis sister duo from Compton, California with raw talent and the promise of greatness. Hidden away from the world by their father Richard Williams, Serena and Venus Williams were shrouded in mystery. Only a select few had exclusive access to their training process, one of which was the renowned American tennis coach Rick Macci. In this episode, hosts and tennis legends Chanda Rubin and Zina Garrison speak with Macci who reveals never-before-heard training stories from Serena's childhood. The GOAT: Serena is a production of Diversion Podcasts in association with iHeartRadio. Hosts: Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Written by Pete Bodo. Produced and directed by Mark Francis and Scott Waxman. Consulting Producer: Andrew Kalb. Production Assistant: Anita Okoye. Original Music: Andy Marvel. Social Media Manager: Stephen Tompkins. Director of Marketing and Business Development: Jacob Bronstein. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis. Learn more about THE GOAT at DiversionPodcasts.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The GOAT: Serena is the second season in The GOAT series. This season looks at the remarkable career of one of the greatest of all time – tennis superstar Serena Williams. She is a record-breaking tennis champion, philanthropist, beloved friend and family-woman. The GOAT: Serena is hosted by tennis legends and Williams' close friends Zina Garrison and Chanda Rubin. Garrison and Rubin, along with other prominent figures in Serena's life, recount the triumphs and tribulations of the making of an icon. Coming August 27th from Diversion Podcasts and iHeartRadio. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Get a preview of Season 2 of the #1 New Sports Podcast of 2020. Sports journalist vets Jack McCallum and J.A. Adande take listeners through an insider's study of the 2008 US Olympic Men's Basketball Team and the legendary players that defined a new generation of NBA basketball, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Jason Kidd. Season 2 features guests including Carmelo Anthony, Phil Jackson, Chris Bosh, Robert Horry, Jerry Colangelo, Deron Williams, Mike Krzyzewski and many more, bringing you an epic examination in athletic challenge, transformation, and ultimate victory.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Tom Brady just can't stop winning Super Bowls. On this last episode of the season we hear from Tom Brady, Tom Brady Sr., Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians, and Phil Simms of CBS. In his first year with the Bucs, Brady not only led them to the playoffs for the first time since 2007, but won three playoff games to get them back home to be the first team to ever play the Super Bowl on their home field. And in this unique and crazy season, of course Brady didn't stop by just getting to 10th Super Bowl, he won the Super Bowl for the seventh time. That's more than any franchise has won. By the way, he also won his fifth Super Bowl MVP. He also was the clear winner in round one in his divorce from Bill Belichick.  — The GOAT: Tom Brady, is a production of Diversion Podcasts, in association with iHeartRadio. This season is written and hosted by Gary Myers. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis for Diversion Podcasts and Sean Titone for iHeartRadio. Story editing by Scott Waxman with editorial direction from John Tuttle and Jacob Bronstein. Editing, mixing, and sound design by Mark Francis. Archival research by Brianne Murphy. Verna Fields is our Technical Producer. Director of marketing and business development: Jacob Bronstein. Special thanks for Oren Rosenbaum at UTA. Diversion Podcasts wants to hear from you. What did you think of this season? Send us your questions, your comments, and even your critiques. Find Diversion on Twitter at @DiversionPods And remember what Tom Brady said: "Wear your seat belts...You never know."  ▶️ Diversion brings real stories to life: DiversionPodcasts.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Tom Brady will be playing in his 10th Super Bowl for his 7th Super Bowl championship when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV on their home field in Tampa this Sunday. Host Gary Myers talks to Tom Brady about how hard it is to win the Super Bowl at a time when he was stuck on three victories for ten years. Brady predicted then nobody would win six or seven. He's wrong on six. And he's trying to serve Supe For Seven. Two players from the two New York Giants teams that beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII and XLVI are also guests on this episode: former quarterback Eli Manning and former defensive end Justin Tuck. Manning talks about the thrill of beating Tom Brady twice with last-minute drives and his own relationship with Brady. Eli was named Super Bowl MVP in both victories. Justin Tuck could have been named Super Bowl MVP in the first game when the Pats were trying to complete the first 19-0 season in NFL history. Tuck sacked Brady twice and discusses how the Giants put pressure on him. EXCERPT FROM THE EPISODE: Even with the pandemic limiting Raymond James Stadium to 22,000 fans for Super Bowl 55, about one-third capacity, the atmosphere will be electric as Tom Brady goes for his seventh Super Bowl championship. The Tampa Bay Bucs vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes. The GOAT vs. The Baby Goat. And…the Bucs are the first team to play the Super Bowl on their home field. Supe’s On... It was almost unimaginable when Brady played for the Patriots, the Evil Empire of the NFL, but I think now he is the sentimental favorite in the Super Bowl. I have friends who are lifelong Jets fans who have set aside the hatred they had for Brady when he was playing for Bill Belichick and beating the Jets twice a year and they are rooting for him in the Super Bowl.  I mean, he’s going against players just about half his age in a physically demanding sport. Patrick Mahomes was just 6 years old when Brady won his first Super Bowl in the 2001 season. Besides, is there a father or mother who could not relate to Brady hugging his son in the stands at Lambeau Field in Green Bay after the NFC Championship Game? What an incredible accomplishment for Brady at his age, in his first year with a new team, with no offseason program to get acclimated to his new teammates, with a scaled down training camp, and to now win seven in a row by winning three playoff games on the road to get back home. Tom Sr. told me that he and his wife Galynn, who is a cancer survivor, each contracted COVID at the beginning of the NFL season in September. They live in San Mateo in Northern California. Tom Sr. was in the hospital for 18 days for what he described to others as a life and death situation. Tom called twice a day to check up on his parents. That is a stress that makes him very relatable as the country is going through a once-in-a-century pandemic. His parents have recovered and will be in Tampa for Super Bowl 55 for their second game this season.

Tom Brady has made it to his 10th Super Bowl, an almost unimaginable feat. But this one is different. Brady came without the New England Patriots. Brady and the Tampa Bay Bucs will meet the explosive Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes on February 7 in Super Bowl LV. The Bucs are the first team to make it to the Super Bowl on their home field. Host Gary Myers interviews Tom Brady's father, Tom Brady Sr., about his son's transition to a new team after 20 years with the Pats, his break-up with Bill Belichick, and how much longer Brady will play. Tom has told his dad he will play "until I suck." Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy also appears on the episode and contributes his insight on how Patriots Nation is handling Tom Brady in the Super Bowl this year without them. FROM THE EPISODE: Super Bowl 55 is a fascinating matchup. It’s the generation gap Super Bowl. Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes. The GOAT vs the BABY GOAT. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady is 43 and going for his seventh Super Bowl championship. Patrick Mahomes is only 25 but already on a path to one day be grouped with the best to ever play the game.  He is trying to lead the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Bowl victories, which has not been done since Brady and the Patriots won two in a row in 2003 and 2004, the second against the Philadelphia Eagles, then coached by current Kansas City coach Andy Reid.  Mahomes was just 6-and-a-half years old when Brady won his first Super Bowl following the 2001 season. Mahomes father Pat, a former major league pitcher, is 50, just seven years older than Brady. That is just part of the back story. The real story is this: Tom Brady will be playing in his tenth Super Bowl. John Elway is next among quarterbacks with five. Brady is going for his seventh victory. Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw are next with four. If you don’t count Brady’s rookie year in 2000, when he threw only three passes, or 2008, when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first quarter of the first game, he has played 19 seasons and been to 10 Super Bowls. That means he’s made it to the Super Bowl more than 50% of the time.  That’s crazy. Just to put to put that in perspective, Michael Jordan played 15 years and went to six NBA finals. He won all six, but his last championship came when he was 34 years old. LeBron James turned 36 in December, soon after he played in his 10th finals in 17 seasons. But he has a losing record at 4-6.  People have asked me if Tom Brady wins the Super Bowl on February 7th will he retire? I think it’s just the opposite: it will motivate him even more to win Super Bowl 56. Besides, he has a $25 million guaranteed contract for next season, so unless something changes with his passion for the game, if it dissipates, or if he physically bdoesn’t feel capable, then I believe he will return for at least one more year. Tom will be 44 in August. I’m going to start off with Tom Brady Sr. Tom and his dad are best friends and golfing buddies. Brady Sr. and I became friendly when I was researching my *Brady vs. Manning* book and I always found him forthcoming. Tom Brady told his father how he will determine when to quit. He put it in simple terms: as long as he doesn’t suck, he will keep playing. Makes sense.

Tom Brady vs. Aaron Rodgers at Lambeau Field in the NFC Championship Game. It just doesn’t get any better than that. It’s a match-up for the ages — and for the aged. Brady is trying to get to his 10th Super Bowl (!) in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As great as Aaron Rodgers has been this season, he’s only been to one Super Bowl. Who takes The Lambeau Leap to Super Bowl LV? Renowned sports broadcasters Al Michaels and Peter King stop by The GOAT to offer their perspective on the matchup.  FROM THE EPISODE: Imagine this epic football scene Sunday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin: Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have just beaten Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game in the greatest playoff quarterback matchup in the 101 years of the NFL. Brady is so excited he attempts the Lambeau Leap right to Super Bowl 55. Degree of difficult: 10.0 If you remember Brady’s performance at the scouting combine 21 years ago, you know he’s got no shot to scale that wall. It’s 5-foot-11 in the end zone and 6-foot-2 in the corners. Don’t even ask about Brady’s vertical jump. And without fans to grab and pull him up, it might be more a challenge than actually beating Rodgers. Then again, there’s no way to measure adrenaline. Brady is one victory away from playing football in another Super Bowl in his first year with the Bucs, a team that historically has been a bunch of misfits. The *losingest* team in sports history. Brady has single handedly changed the culture of perception of that team in just four months. If things fall into place for Brady and the Bucs on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field., then: The Bucs become the first team in the 55-year history of the Super Bowl to play football on their home field. Brady, in his 14th conference championship game, makes it to his 10th Super Bowl. If he wins his 7th Super Bowl, it will give him three more victories than Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, who are second among quarterbacks. Brady has 32 playoff victories. Montana is second with 16. Aaron Rodgers, who many consider the most talented quarterback of all time, has 11 playoff victories, basically one third of Brady’s total. Will Brady’s fairy tale season have a fairy tale finish? On this Bonus Episode of The GOAT: Tom Brady, I’m going to bring in Al Michaels, the best play-by-play man not only in NFL history, but simply the best play-by-play man ever. And you’ll hear from long-time journalist Peter King, who writes the must-read Football Morning In America column in his multi-platform role for NBC. This is going to a fun episode. Michaels and King are great storytellers. And this Sunday is going to be a fun game: a game for the ages and for the aged. Brady and Rodgers are coming off elite regular seasons. Brady threw 40 touchdowns at the age of 43, the second most in his 21-year career. Rodgers is six years younger at 37 and his 48 TDs are the best in his 16-year career. Age will be just a number Sunday night. These guys are playing great. Brady has been to nine Super Bowls, won six. He was 9-4 in AFC title games in New England. He is 33-11 in the playoffs and this is his ninth conference championship game in the last 10 years. The only years he missed was 2019, his final season in New England.

Tom Brady is heading to Washington on Saturday night with the hopes of going on a Super Bowl run with his new team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs play the Washington Football Team in the NFC Wild Card matchup. Brady threw 40 touchdown passes and the Bucs finished 11-5 after ending the regular season with four straight victories. Tom and his team are red-hot. Brady already has been to more Super Bowls (9) and won more Super Bowls (6) than any player in history. Now he's trying to join old pal Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks to win it all with two different teams. Another milestone: He has never been to the Super Bowl without a first round bye. Is this the first of three straight road playoff victories before he gets to play Super Bowl back home in Tampa or is this where Tom Brady's magical season ends? FROM THE EPISODE: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are red-hot going into the postseason with a four-game winning streak. They finished the regular season with an 11-5 record, tying the franchise record for most victories, which was set in 2002, the year Tampa won its only Super Bowl.  At the age of 43, Brady threw 40 touchdown passes, the second highest total of his 21-year career. Now he’s trying to get to his tenth Super Bowl. Think about that. Ten Super Bowls. Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, and Aaron Rodgers combined have to been to nine. [AUDIO CLIP TOM BRADY:] “We gotta keep it going. We've got a big one next week. It all comes down to one game now that the regular season's over…you know, it’s one football game: Who plays well, who executes when the pressure's on..” In 2007 Brady broke Peyton Manning’s single-season record of 49 touchdown passes by throwing 50 in the New England Patriots undefeated regular season. Manning not only took back the record in 2013, but he pushed it way out there by throwing 55 in his second season in Denver.  Manning predicted Brady would break his record again. That ‘ not going to happen, but by throwing 40, Brady broke Manning’s record of 37 touchdown passes in the first season with a new team. Brady tossed four TDs in the Bucs 44-27 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday to jump ahead of Peyton. That’s kind of an obscure record, but not a bad one to own. [AUDIO CLIP TOM BRADY:] “Whatever happens, for me, as a quarterback, is reflective of what our group does on offense. I love playing with the guys I play with. We got a great group of receivers, great group of tight ends, very selfless. The backs have done an incredible job and the way the offensive line is playing and protect, it gives any quarterback a great opportunity. So it's a team sport. Those are great team accomplishments, and I'm just proud of all the guys and what they put in this year. And now we're moving into the playoffs and we’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us. Got to go try to take advantage of it.” Now the money time of the 2020 season has arrived. The Bucs are the No. 5 seed and in all likelihood will have to win three playoff games on the road to get back home to Tampa and become the first team to play the Super Bowl on its home field. Can the Bucs win three playoff games in a row on the road? It’s been done before. Brady knows all about it because the 2007 New York Giants won three games on the road before beating him and the Patriots in Super Bowl 42. Tampa went into its bye week at just 7-5 after back-to-back home losses to the Rams and Chiefs. What was wrong with Brady? Why didn’t Bruce Arians adjust his deep passing game to take advantage of Brady’s strength, which was throwing underneath with an occasional deep shot. He played one of the worst games of his career in a home loss to the Saints...

Tom Brady wins Round 1 in the NFL’s most celebrated divorce. He’s on the verge of going to the playoffs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New England Patriots will miss the postseason for the first time since 2008. For this season, Bill Belichick misses Brady a lot more than Brady misses Belichick... even though the Bucs would be much better than 9-5 if Belichick was coaching them instead of Bruce Arians. But what about The Patriots Dynasty? Is Brady really The GOAT? Or was it Belichick? Or did they need each other? NFL superstar analysts Phil Simms and Cris Collinsworth stop by the pod to break it down.  FROM THE EPISODE: It used to be Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The GOAT of quarterbacks and The GOAT of coaches. Now it’s Tom Brady versus Bill Belichick. It’s a matter of opinion who was more important to the Patriots dynasty, which is now officially over. But it’s not up for debate who won Round One in Season One of their divorce. [NFL Commissioner] Roger Goodell stepped in and stopped the fight. It’s Brady by TKO. Tom is on the verge of taking his new best buddies in Tampa Bay to the playoffs for the first time since 2007 with a wild-card spot a virtual certainty and a division championship still a possibility. Belichick and the Patriots were eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday in Miami and will miss the postseason for the first time since 2008 and only the fourth time in Belichick’s 21 years in New England. For this season, Belichick clearly misses Brady more than Brady misses Belichick. That was evident even before pictures made the rounds of Tom standing in front of his brand-new baby blue multi-million-dollar boat docked in St. Petersburg, Florida. That was just about the same time Boston was getting socked with more than a foot of snow. Advantage: Brady. In this episode of The GOAT: Tom Brady, I’m going to bring in my long-time friends Phil Simms and Cris Collinsworth, two of the all-time best football analysts, to weigh in on the Brady vs. Belichick argument. As far as the argument who misses who more for 2020, the exclamation point arrived Sunday:  Just as Brady was on fire finishing off a comeback victory in Atlanta after being down 17 in the third quarter to get the Bucs to 9-5, the Patriots loss to the Dolphins dropped to 6-8 and now all that’s left of their season is trying to avoid their first losing season in 20 years. Brady was asked after Sunday’s game if he’s been paying attention to the Patriots this season and the fact they’re not going to make the playoffs for the first time in 11 years…

Sequels rarely equal the originals. It’s true with movies and especially true with quarterbacks. What about Tom Brady on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 20 years on the New England Patriots? He's trying to rewrite the script of Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, and his hero, Joe Montana. Second acts haven’t always been pretty in the NFL, but Tom Brady is intent on changing the narrative by holding up his seventh Lombardi Trophy. Is 43 the new 33? Michael Jordan won six championships with the Chicago Bulls and then retired for three years before he came back for two forgettable seasons with the Washington Wizards. Willie Mays falling down in centerfield in the 1973 World Series at the end of his career playing for the New York Mets was a sad and unnecessary sight. Joe Namath in a Los Angeles Rams uniform and Joe Montana with the Kansas City Chiefs still upsets me. For every Star Wars sequel or Peyton Manning reinventing himself following four neck surgeries and signing with the Denver Broncos and making it two more Super Bowls, there’s Johnny Unitas with the San Diego Chargers and Emmitt Smith with the Arizona Cardinals and Jerry Rice with the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. Which brings us to Tom Brady and the Bucs. What script is he writing? In this episode, Gary Myers discusses the risk Brady embraced by leaving after 20 years in New England to play in Tampa with a perennial loser. And you will hear from Joe Namath about his experience moving to the Rams. Tom Brady put his legacy on the line by exiting his comfort zone with the Patriots. He was a forever hero in New England regardless of how the end of his career would have played out if he stayed. Even if Patriots fans are upset with him now, especially with his old team struggling, how can they possibly boo him when the Bucs play in Foxborough in 2021? But all that wasn’t good enough for Tom. What was he unhappy about? He had never been paid market value, preferring to put his ego aside so the money he left on the table could be spent to keep the Patriots a Super Bowl caliber team every year. But then he looked around at his dwindling group of impact playmakers and wondered where the money was going. Sources tell us he had a deteriorating working relationship with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels with his input on game plans diminished. And let’s face it, the great thing about playing for Bill Belichick is he’s the best coach in the league, maybe of all time. The bad part is there is not much joy that comes in the winning. It’s just not a fun environment. — The GOAT: Tom Brady, is a production of Diversion Podcasts, in association with iHeartRadio. This season is written and hosted by Gary Myers. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis for Diversion Podcasts and Sean Titone for iHeartRadio. Story editing by Scott Waxman with editorial direction from John Tuttle and Jacob Bronstein. Editing, mixing, and sound design by Mark Francis. Archival research by Brianne Murphy. Verna Fields is our Technical Producer. Director of marketing and business development: Jacob Bronstein. Special thanks for Oren Rosenbaum at UTA.

In this special bonus episode we look at what's going on with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in real time. Does The GOAT have one more magical run in him at the age of 43? The first 12 games of the 2020 NFL season have brought us an odd couple in Bruce Arians and Tom Brady. The Bucs come down the 2020 season with a 7-5 record and slightly damaged but still realistic Super Bowl hopes. To get back home to play the Super Bowl in Tampa, the Bucs will have to play three playoff games on the road. First, they must finish off the season strong and make it to the postseason. That depends on improved chemistry between Brady, who likes to control games with a short passing game, and Arians, who believes in the high-wire act of throwing down the field. Do they need marriage counseling? We take a real-time look, including commentaty from guests and Hall of Fame coaches, Jimmy Johnson and Bill Cowher. FROM THE EPISODE: I'm not gonna wait to give you my opinion in the "Who Gets the Blame Game". I put it directly on Bruce Arians. And although Brady has at times made uncharacteristically bad decisions and bad throws, The Bucs' coach has not put him in the best position to succeed. When you sign The GOAT, especially in an old GOAT, you structure the offense to focus on what he does best. Keep the throws within 25 yards and between the numbers with an occasional deep ball. Develop and establish a strong running game. Lots of play action to freeze the linebackers and motion to catch the defense in a mismatch. Adjust the scheme to match the personnel. Don't force the personnel to fit the scheme. Brady has won Super Bowls with offensive talent not even close to what's been assembled in Tampa, but he had the benefit of Bill Belichick. The Bucs however, just line up with one back, three wide receivers, and a tight end and rarely create deception. That's Arians offense. Brady simply lines up in the shotgun or under center, reads the defense, takes his three, five, or seven stop drop, and then so many times it appears he's just chucking the ball down the field inside and outside the numbers, rather than looking at it underneath the receivers. Wait, what?! How does that make any sense?! That's Arians' "No Risk It, No Biscuit" offens; a high risk, high reward approach. Yet Brady this season has thrown some of the worst and most inexplicable interceptions of his career. If Ariens is indeed "The Quarterback Whisperer", as he bragged in the title of his book, let me ask this loud and clear: What the heck is he doing? Is he that stubborn? Has he not watched what Brady has done best over the last two decades? He has a strong arm, but he doesn't throw it like Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and that's not going to change. And as much as he's defied age and NFL history, Tom Brady still is 43 years old.

Jim Nantz of CBS Sports tells the story of the time he and Tom Brady played golf with former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton in Kennebunkport, Maine. It’s just one of the perks of being The GOAT. Here’s another perk: Tom Brady is a world class locker room practical joker and as his backup quarterback on the New England Patriots, Matt Cassel, discovered, never mess with anybody who makes more money than you. FROM THE EPISODE: Brady played both sides of the aisle on the golf course with a former Republican president and a former Democrat president, but he has avoided discussing politics ever since a red Donald Trump MAGA hat was visible in his locker in 2016. Brady never denied he was friends with Trump. They golfed together, which predates any presidential thoughts that had entered Trump's mind. Brady never said if he voted for Trump, even if Trump bragged about their friendship. Trump and Brady first met in 2001 and would often call Brady after games. In an interview he did in April [2020] on Sirius XM with Howard Stern Brady said Trump asked him to speak at the 2016 Republican National Convention, but he turned them down. Brady said, “I wasn't going to do anything political.” But he also told Stern, “the political support is totally different than the support of a friend.” He avoids talking politics in public because he's trying to lead a diverse locker room, comprised of players with different backgrounds and varying political beliefs. [Tom Brady] does not want to say anything that could fracture the support he needs from his teammates. [New England] Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been a Trump supporter. Patriots owner, Robert Kraft—a lifelong Democrat—is close friends with [Donald] Trump and has never denied supporting him, although he was critical of Trump when he called any player who kneeled for the National Anthem “a son of a bitch.” I think it's interesting that the three leaders of the Patriots for two decades—[Robert] Kraft, [Bill] Belichick and [Tom] Brady—were considered supporters of Trump in 2016, despite living and working in Massachusetts, the bluest of blue states. In a conversation I had with Kraft in January of 2018, it was apparent that his feelings for Trump were based on friendship and not politics... The GOAT: Tom Brady, is a production of Diversion Podcasts, in association with iHeartRadio. This season is written and hosted by Gary Myers. Executive Producers: Scott Waxman and Mark Francis for Diversion Podcasts and Sean Titone for iHeartRadio. Story editing by Scott Waxman with editorial direction from John Tuttle and Jacob Bronstein. Editing, mixing, and sound design by Mark Francis. Archival research by Brianne Murphy. Verna Fields is our Technical Producer. Director of marketing and business development: Jacob Bronstein. Special thanks for Oren Rosenbaum at UTA.

Is Tom Brady a cheater? Two weeks after he was accused by the Indianapolis Colts of having air leaked out of their footballs in the 2014 AFC Championship Game, Tom Brady won Super Bowl LI—his fourth Super Bowl victory. Brady was suspended for four games, fined $1 million, and the New England Patriots forfeited two draft picks. There were many legal machinations and appeals involving the NFL, commissioner Roger Goodell, as well as federal and appeals courts. Does Deflategate impact Tom Brady's legacy as The Greatest Quarterback of All Time? Gary Myers pulls back the curtain.

In Game 1 of the 2007 season NFL security busted up the New England Patriots' espionage ring—what came to be known as Spygate. Bill Belichick was having his film crew tape the opposing team's defensive signals. The Patriots went on to football's first 16-0 regular season record and it was only one of the greatest underdog performances in NFL history by Eli Manning's New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII—including the famed Helmet Catch by David Tyree—that stopped Tom Brady and the Patriots from cementing the title of Greatest Team Ever. Was Brady and the New England Patriots dynasty tainted?

The rivalry between Tom Brady of the New England Patriots and Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts (and then the Denver Broncos) was so intense that it carried over to games played between Brady and Peyton’s little brother Eli Manning—and not just in the Super Bowl. Peyton once asked the New York Giants defense, through Eli, to prevent Tom Brady from breaking his single season TD record. In return, if the mission was accomplished, the Giants defense requested Peyton pick up the check at an expensive Manhattan steakhouse. Porterhouse or New York strip?

Tom Brady was a draft day afterthought as the 199th overall pick when he went to the New England Patriots in 2000. Peyton Manning was born into NFL royalty, destined to be the #1 overall pick and greatness on the Indianapolis Colts and then the Denver Broncos. This unlikely pairing of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning produced the greatest rivalry in NFL football history, and one that many feel shaped the modern NFL in many ways. The two star quarterbacks met head-to-head 17 times, with Brady holding an 11–6 edge over Manning. Manning did win the last three times they met in the AFC Championship Game, but Brady ultimately leads the rivalry with 6–2 in Super Bowl victories.

The streets of New Orleans in the week leading up to the St. Louis Rams-New England Patriots Super Bowl XXXVI were red, white, and blue. It was about five months after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. It was the most patriotic Super Bowl ever, so maybe it was appropriate the Patriots won. It was also when the football world found out Tom Brady was for real—as he led an amazing last-minutes drive for one of the greatest NFL football upsets ever and was named Super Bowl MVP for the first time.

Tom Brady saved Bill Belichick's job. Bill Belichick was 5-11 in his first season as the coach of the New England Patriots. Belichick was 0-2 in his second season when Drew Bledsoe was injured so badly that both his football career and his life was on the line. Belichick knew he was on a short leash—or thin ice—and could be fired at the end of the season. Not many knew it at the time, but Belichick wanted to open the season with the quarterback that was once a 6th round afterthought as his starting quarterback: Tom Brady. Brady owed Belichick a lot for drafting and developing him and Brady paid him back by saving his coaching career.

In game 2 of Tom Brady’s second season with the New England Patriots, starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe suffered internal bleeding after a hit and almost died. The next man up was Brady, who had thrown three total passes in his rookie season—and completed only one. The Patriots were 0-2 at that point in the 2001 NFL season. Would they win a single game? Yes, in fact they would go on to win 14 games, including Super Bowl XXXVI.

Tom Brady became mentally tough at Michigan. He felt slighted from the day he arrived to the final game of his college career. He was even benched during an overtime victory against Alabama while throwing for 369 yards and four touchdowns. Brady did enjoy Michigan but the five years seemed like twenty in football years. Brady then suffered as he waited to hear his name called at the 2001 NFL draft. Finally, in the middle of the sixth round, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots chose Tom Brady—the future winningest quarterback in NFL history and the first to win six Super Bowl titles—as the 199th overall pick.

Tom Brady has a complicated history with the University of Michigan. He was estranged from the school he loves for more than a decade after graduation. Why? He felt unappreciated. He showed up as a freshman seventh on the depth chart and was redshirted. Then Brady was a back-up for two years. And despite a 20-5 record his final two seasons when he was finally named the starter, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr kept Brady looking over his shoulder at local phenom Drew Henson.

In the twenty seasons Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and Robert Kraft were together, The New England Patriots went to nine Super Bowls and won six. How did "The Big Three" come together? As they head their separate ways for the 2020 NFl season, we look back at the origins of The Patriots Dynasty, and the seeds that would one day grow to make Tom Brady The Greatest of All Time.

The G.O.A.T. Season 1 looks back at the exceptional career of the great—or the greatest—Tom Brady. Acclaimed sports journalist Gary Myers brings us the definitive account of arguably the most illustrious career in NFL history. Hear the voices of Tom Brady, Robert Kraft, Peyton Manning, and more tell the singular story of The Greatest of All Time. Coming October 5th from Diversion Podcasts and iHeartRadio. ▶️ Diversion brings real stories to life: DiversionPodcasts.com Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com