On this day 25 years ago, one of the most pivotal plays in NFL history occurred: Jets linebacker Mo Lewis injured Drew Bledsoe, leading to the start of the Tom Brady era.
During the fourth quarter of the 2001 Week 2 game between the Jets and the Patriots (this game was the first played by either team since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks), Jets linebacker Mo Lewis landed a hard, clean hit on Patriots starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe; the impact sheared a blood vessel in Bledsoe's chest, resulting in internal bleeding. Tom Brady, a sixth-round draft pick in 2000, served as Bledsoe's backup as the Jets won the game 10-3. Brady would lead the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships during his tenure with the Patriots, which ended in the 2019 season with a devastating 20-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card Game. Bledsoe, who signed a $103 million contract with the Patriots that would last 10 years, was traded to the Buffalo Bills after the 2001 season finished.
