Tom Brady was selected in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.
The New England Patriots chose him with the 199th overall pick, a compensatory selection near the very end of the draft. Brady had played at the University of Michigan, where he eventually became the Wolverines’ starting quarterback and helped win the 1999 Orange Bowl.
His low draft position was influenced by concerns about his athleticism, arm strength, body type, and competition for playing time at Michigan. Six other quarterbacks were selected before him, a detail later highlighted in the documentary The Brady 6.
The pick became one of the most famous draft selections in sports history. Brady won six Super Bowls with New England, another with Tampa Bay, and became the only player to win seven Super Bowl titles. The “199th pick” label is often used as shorthand for the extraordinary value of his selection.