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Comparing GOATs: Who’s Better Between Tom Brady and Martin Brodeur?

By Nick Villano

GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 24: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to their NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on January 24, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 24: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to their NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on January 24, 2021 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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New Jersey Devils
Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils poses with the Vezina Trophy. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Awards

One easy way to assess one’s career is to look at how much hardware they have sitting at home. Beyond the team awards like the Stanley Cup and the Lombardi Trophy, individual awards show the seasons this player had the most immediate impact. It’s flawed because it’s voted on by the media, but it still shows who believed was the best in those seasons.

Brady has three NFL MVPs to his name. Only Manning has more. There’s not really a “QB only” award in the NFL. That’s because most MVPs are quarterbacks.

Brady did add a lot of awards to his trophy case. He’s been named Comeback Player of the Year, Breakout Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year (twice), Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, and the Bert Bell Award giving to the best player in the pros.

In hockey, goalies are given the Vezina Trophy when they are the best. They very, very rarely get the Hart Trophy, similar to pitchers in baseball. They “have their own award” so forwards are almost always considered over goalies. Only four goalies have won the Hart since 1965.

Anyways, Brodeur won the Vezina Trophy four times in his career. Only Hasek has more in the modern era (sorry, not counting hockey awards given to players when there were six teams). What makes Brodeur’s wins so special is he won them in two eras. He won two before the lockout, when ties still existed and he was allowed to roam free around the ice. Two came after the lockout, when he had to get used to shootouts, new rules to help offenses score, and an overall different game.

Brodeur also won the Calder Memorial Trophy, the ESPY for Outstanding Performance Under Pressure, and he won the William Jennings Trophy five times. His trophy case looks about as full as Brady’s.

Tom Terrific has to get the nod here. Mostly because of his postseason awards. Brady won the Super Bowl MVP four times. Even if Brodeur got the Conn Smythe Trophy he deserved in 2003, it’s not enough to come close to Brady’s trophy case.

Advantage: Brady

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