Jaguars' Kryptonite Tom Brady Retires, Welcoming in a New Age of Top Obstacles
The days of Tom Brady looming over the Jacksonville Jaguars in their biggest moments died in 2018. But the era of the Jaguars' greatest threat officially ended on Wednesday, with Brady retiring for the second time in two years, and this time for good.
In Brady's 21 seasons as a starter, he frequently served as the Jaguars' long-time kryptonite. No matter the stage or the importance of the game, Brady was a quarterback the Jaguars could never get past.
Not in the Del Rio era. Not in the Bradley and Marrone era. And by the time Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson have hit the scene, Brady has been long gone from the Jaguars' path to success.
But along the way to seven Super Bowl wins, five Super Bowl MVPs, 15 Pro Bowls, six All-Pro selections, three NFL MVPs, and records for most career wins, career passing touchdowns, and career passing yards.
The Jaguars haven't played Brady since they finally conquered their long-time goliath at home in a 31-20 Week 2 win in 2018. It was the Super Bowl moment for the 2018 team, the final signature win for the Doug Marrone regime before it all came falling apart.
But the key moments for the Jaguars against Brady came in their first eight contests against him, which included three playoff games. Brady went 8-0 against the Jaguars in this period, knocking the Jaguars out of the 2005, 2007 and 2017 playoffs.
This saw him complete 72.04% of his passes for eight touchdowns and zero interceptions in the playoffs, frequently serving as the dagger to the Jaguars' seasons. It wasn't any better in the regular-season, with Brady finishing his career with a passer rating of 113.1 with 2,356 yards, 21 touchdowns and two interceptions in nine games vs. the Jaguars.
Read More: Tom Brady Retires After 23 NFL Seasons: Sports Illustrated’s Complete Coverage
"My family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors -- I could go on forever, there's too many," Brady said in his retirement video. "Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn't change a thing. Love you all."
The Jaguars are likely the last thing on Brady's mind as he retires. And after a 9-8 season that ended with a trip to the playoffs and being years removed from Brady even being in the AFC, Brady is close to the last thing on the Jaguars' mind.
But Brady's retirement is more than just the official end to arguably the greatest career in professional sports history. It is the end of an era in the NFL, especially for the Jaguars.
The day of the old guard at quarterback is over. The 2000s quarterbacks, spearheaded by Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Phillip Rivers and so many others are all gone. The sun has finally set, and a new legion of elite talents is at the top of the NFL.
For the Jaguars, Brady's retirement is the end of their greatest foe who isn't named Manning. It also officially welcomes quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Justin Herbert to the final level for the Jaguars, with Mahomes leading the pack.
The new era of stars could one day prove to be just as difficult to navigate past as Brady was. But for now, the Jaguars' greatest foe is done with challenging them, conquering all the worlds he had sought out.
