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These days, you won't find one National Football League player (past or present) that is more accomplished than Tom Brady. However, when you rewind to the 2000 NFL draft, everyone thought 198 players were. While only six of the 198 players picked ahead of him shared a similar position to Brady, you'd still have to agree that he's unarguably the biggest steal not only in the NFL draft but in all of sports.
While it's evident that no quarterback from this draft can outclass Brady, how did the careers of the six quarterbacks taken ahead of him pan out?
Chad Pennington, 18th overall pick
Surprisingly, not a lot of teams were in the market for a quarterback in this draft. In fact, Pennington was the only quarterback taken in the first round, going 18th overall to the New York Jets.
Over 11 years in the NFL that included multiple playoff appearances, Pennington had a decent career that was ultimately slowed down by injuries. Once his time in the league was over, Pennington transitioned to coaching. Today, he spends his days coaching Sayre School's high school football team, a position he's had since 2018.
Giovanni Carmazzi, 65th overall pick
It would be a while till this draft class had another QB hear his name called after Pennington. The San Francisco 49ers broke the dry spell by taking Carmazzi early in the third round. Unlike Pennington, Carmazzi never got to play a single down in the NFL.
He spent two years with the 49ers, primarily on the practice squad, and eventually bounced around the Canadian Football League and NFL Europe before officially stepping away from the game in 2005. Today, Carmazzi lives a much quieter life far removed from the bright lights of professional football.
Chris Redman, 75th overall pick
As the third-string quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens, Redman failed to take any snaps his rookie season. But at least he was able to do something Brady never could: win a Super Bowl his rookie season. It took Redman a while before he got any significant snaps as an NFL pro, but he did manage to carve out a respectable 10-year career.
Once his days as a backup quarterback were over, he shifted his focus to more of an executive role. He is currently serving as the president of the Louisville Extreme Football Club in the American Arena League.
Tee Martin, 163rd overall pick
Unlike the previous quarterbacks of this class, Martin entered the NFL with an impressive resume culminated by a national championship. Taken in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, his NFL career didn’t quite match his success back in college.
He spent four years in the league as a backup before retiring and becoming a full-time coach. As of today, Martin is the quarterbacks coach for the Baltimore Ravens.
Marc Bulger, 168th overall pick
While Pennington had a few good years in the NFL, you can make a case that the most successful quarterback from the 2000 draft outside of Brady was a man taken 31 picks ahead of him. Like Brady, Bulger found a golden opportunity to make his mark by replacing an injured Pro Bowl caliber quarterback. In his case, it was when he joined the St. Louis Rams in 2002 and replaced an injured Kurt Warner.
After 10 seasons in the league, which included two Pro Bowl selections, Bulger moved on to curling where he'd even participate in the 2018 Curl Mesabi Classic.
Spergon Wynn, 183rd overall pick
Wynn completes the list of quarterbacks taken before Brady. His career followed a similar trajectory to Carmazzi as he'd spend most of his prime playing football in the Canadian Football League before hanging up his cleats in 2006. As per Wynn's LinkedIn, he's currently an energy broker with Amerex Energy Services, a position he's worked in since 2013.
Ultimately, the 2000 Draft serves as a reminder that success in the NFL doesn’t always depend on draft position. Instead, it's about making the most of your opportunity once it presents itself.
