When Tom Brady came back to the Buccaneers to play his 23rd NFL season, he had aspirations of being a true contender in the NFC.
Instead, Tampa Bay is fighting tooth and nail in an effort to make it to the postseason.
The Buccaneers have a record of just 6-8 entering Week 16 of the 2022 NFL season. Despite that, they are in first place in the weak NFC South and may get a crack at going to the postseason with a losing record.
That would end up being a first for Brady. Not just making the playoffs with a losing record, but recording any sort of losing record at all.
Brady is the NFL's winningest quarterback ever in both the regular and postseasons. Just how has he gotten there? Here's what to know about Brady's record by season and his best and worst marks as a starting quarterback.
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Has Tom Brady ever had a losing season?
Brady has NEVER had a losing season during his 23-year NFL career. He has started at least one game in 22 of his 23 seasons and has posted a winning record in each of his first 21 campaigns.
The only time that Brady played for a losing team came during his rookie season. The Patriots went 5-11 during that 2000 season but Brady was the backup to Drew Bledsoe during that time. He appeared in just one game, completing 1 of 3 passes for 6 yards.
Brady has logged at least 10 wins in all but four of his seasons. That includes his rookie season and the 2008 season, during which he tore his ACL in the first game of the season but still posted a 1-0 record as a starter.
So, if the Buccaneers can't go undefeated in the final three weeks of the season, Brady will have a losing record for the first time in his career.
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What is Tom Brady's worst season as a starter?
Brady's worst season to date, in terms of his record as a starter, came in his third season in 2002. He led the Patriots to a 9-7 record, and the team missed the postseason despite winning the Super Bowl the previous year.
That said, Brady's 2022 mark with the Buccaneers will surpass his 2002 record for his worst by the end of the season. Even if Brady goes 3-0 to close the season, the Buccaneers would finish 9-8, a half-a-game worse than Brady's Patriots did 20 years ago.
Brady can continue his streak of winning seasons with three consecutive victories, however, so he will have a lot on the line in the final three weeks of the season — at least when it comes to his legacy.
Tom Brady career record
Brady has posted a total regular-season record of 249-81 during his 23-year NFL career to date. That's good for a .755 winning percentage, one of the highest marks in NFL history.
When including playoff games, Brady's record improves to 274-93. He has more wins than any other quarterback in NFL history in both the regular season and postseason, and that's part of what makes him the most successful quarterback of all time.
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Tom Brady season-by-season record
Brady has started at least 12 games in all but one of his 22 seasons as a starting quarterback. That came in 2008 when he posted a 1-0 record before tearing his ACL on a low tackle by Bernard Pollard.
Below is a breakdown of Tom Brady's record by season.
| Season | Team | Record |
| 2000 | Patriots | 0-0 (No starts) |
| 2001 | Patriots | 11-3 |
| 2002 | Patriots | 9-7 |
| 2003 | Patriots | 14-2 |
| 2004 | Patriots | 14-2 |
| 2005 | Patriots | 10-6 |
| 2006 | Patriots | 12-4 |
| 2007 | Patriots | 16-0 |
| 2008 | Patriots | 1-0 |
| 2009 | Patriots | 10-6 |
| 2010 | Patriots | 14-2 |
| 2011 | Patriots | 13-3 |
| 2012 | Patriots | 12-4 |
| 2013 | Patriots | 12-4 |
| 2014 | Patriots | 12-4 |
| 2015 | Patriots | 12-4 |
| 2016 | Patriots | 11-1 |
| 2017 | Patriots | 13-3 |
| 2018 | Patriots | 11-5 |
| 2019 | Patriots | 12-4 |
| 2020 | Buccaneers | 11-5 |
| 2021 | Buccaneers | 13-4 |
| 2022 | Buccaneers | 6-8 |
Brady's 2022 campaign will mark the first time since 2008 that he hasn't logged 10-plus wins. That said, he has only failed to win double-digit games twice while starting at least 12 games.
Based on his winning percentage, Brady should post an average record of 12.8 wins and 4.2 losses in a 17-game season. He has never tied a game during his career.
As the season draws to a close, Brady will look to continue his impressive run of winning seasons. He may not ultimately keep it alive, but that the 45-year-old has a chance to do so speaks to his longevity and success within the NFL.
