The New England Patriots lost Super Bowl 52 to the Philadelphia Eagles, but it wasn't because of Tom Brady. The 40-year-old quarterback put together one of the greatest offensive performances in Super Bowl history as he threw for a record 505 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions in a losing effort.

Prior to Brady, no quarterback had ever lost a single game (regular season or postseason) after putting up that sort of remarkable stat line.

It's another testament to Brady's enduring brilliance that he was able to become the first player ever to top 500 passing yards in a Super Bowl at age 40. He also did so against one of the top defenses in the league despite losing one of his top receivers in Brandin Cooks so early in the game.

Article Continues Below
More NFL News
image thumbnail
Eagles’ Cooper DeJean earns massive honor in 2025 positional rankingMatty Breisch ·
IMAGE: Blank player silhouette with nervous emoji face on head in center, Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Benjamin Morrison on left side, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka on right side, Raymond James Stadium (home field of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) in background
3 Buccaneers veterans whose roles will be pushed by rookies in 2025Jordan Llanes ·
Erin Andrews Taylor Swift
Erin Andrews praises Taylor Swift on spiking women NFL viewersAutumn Hawkins ·
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.
Bears’ Caleb Williams takes savage shot at Packers fans — ‘They suck’Jaren Kawada ·
Denver Broncos mascot Miles (left) and Broncos special teams player Marvin Mims (19) during the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge at Nicholson Fieldhouse.
Broncos’ Marvin Mims Jr. sets lofty Pro Bowl goal for 2025 campaignJosh Davis ·
New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is pressured in the pocket during the first quarter.
Jets rumors: Aaron Rodgers put NY run game on blast in 25-minute rantJulian Ojeda ·

However, it also speaks to the Patriots defense's disastrous showing that they put Brady's historic performance to waste and gave him that dubious distinction.

Had the defense played a little bit better, Brady would have had his sixth Super Bowl ring on the back of a record-setting performance, all but securing his status as the best of all-time in the process.

Again, the fact that the Patriots lost shouldn't take away from Brady's incredible effort. Apart from the costly strip-sack in the final minutes, he did just about all he could do to lead the Pats to another title. But as his stat line proves, not even the greatest quarterback of all-time could overcome the other deficiencies in his team.