Sports Illustrated’s Coverage of Tom Brady Through the Years

The quarterback is one of three athletes to be named SI’s Sportsperson of the Year more than once.

Tom Brady announced his retirement Tuesday after 22 seasons in the NFL, but his legend will live on in the stories that have chronicled his iconic career. 

Sports Illustrated has been there every step of the way of Brady’s career, from Michael Silver’s cover story for his first Super Bowl victory in 2002 to his latest Super Bowl victory story in 2021, via Greg Bishop and Jenny Vrentas. 

Silver went on to cover Brady’s triumphs in 2004 (Super Bowl XXXVIII vs. Carolina) and his third victory in four years in Super Bowl XXXIX (vs. Philadelphia). 

Meanwhile, Bishop chronicled the Patriots’ victory in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015 against the Seahawks in the aftermath of the Deflategate scandal as well as their epic comeback from down 28-3 two years later against the Falcons in Super Bowl LI. 

After Brady tore his ACL one game into the 2008 season, Peter King was there to document Brady’s exuberant return ahead of the 2009 season along with the feeling of winning his fifth ring right before turning 40. 

The seven-time Super Bowl winner’s legacy within the pages of SI is largely defined by his two Sportsperson of the Year awards. In 2005, coming off his third Super Bowl victory, Brady won for the first time as a “fresh-faced punk with something to prove.”

Sixteen years later, after leading the Bucs to a win in Super Bowl LV at 43 years old, Brady became only the third athlete to win the award on multiple occasions, joining Tiger Woods (1996 and 2000) and LeBron James (2012, 2016 and 2020). 

For a full archive of all of Sports Illustrated’s coverage of Brady, head to the SI Vault.