A Fateful Day

On this day in 2001, the Pats were playing the Jets in the 2nd game of the season. It was a very emotional time as it was the first game after the attacks on 9/11. Starting QB Drew Bledsoe was already into his 9th season with the team and was piling up all sorts of team passing records. Tom Brady was a 2nd year player who had worked himself into being Drew's back-up after being 4th on the depth chart the previous year.

Early in the game, Bledose was trying to run out of bounds when he was suddenly hit by LB Moe Lewis. The hit knocked Bledsoe out of the game and nearly killed him. He spent several days in the hospital after suffering a sheared blood vessel in his chest. He lost a considerable amount of blood.

Brady took over and the team lost 10-3. The Pats would be 1-3 before turning it around and finishing 11-5. Bledsoe would not return until Brady hurt his ankle in the AFC Championship game. Coach Belichick went with Brady for the Super Bowl which they eventually won over the St Louis Rams.

On April 21, 2002, the team traded Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills for their 1st round draft pick in 2003. That pick ended up being Ty Warren. Bledsoe would spend three seasons in Buffalo before being reunited with Bill Parcells in Dallas.

On that fateful day on September 23, 2001, two players had their lives changed forever. Brady would evolve to the superstar that he is today and Bledsoe would be discarded like old furniture in spite of what he did to revive the franchise when he first came to the team in 1993.

One play, one moment changed them forever .