NFL
Tom Brady Will Get the Michael Jordan Treatment With His Own ESPN Documentary
Stephen Sheehan began his sportswriting career as a high school student covering sports for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel through a student outreach program. He wrote for Bleacher Report and Fan Rag Sports and worked full-time for Sportscasting in 2020 and 2021. Stephen specializes in covering the NFL, particularly the New England Patriots. Stephen is inspired by the stories sports can tell, from money to tragedies to breaking news; there are so many different ways to cover the industry. He monitors Twitter and various websites every day to find stories to tell in unique ways. Stephen was a 2008 Culpepper Journalism Foundation Fellowship winner, received a bachelor's degree in journalism in 2013 and a master's in sports management in 2015 from the University of Florida, and is an active rugby player and former rugby and football coach.
Get to know Stephen Sheehan betterPublished21 May 2020
There’s no question that Tom Brady and Michael Jordan are two of the greatest athletes of all time. Both cultural icons won six championships and became the faces of their respective franchises. Recently, Jordan has been a hot topic thanks to ESPN’s The Last Dance, a highly entertaining documentary series that covered the Chicago Bulls superstar. Now, the greatest quarterback of all time will join his legendary NBA counterpart with an exciting docuseries of his own.
‘The Last Dance’ was a huge success for Michael Jordan
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Michael Jordan didn’t need a documentary series to prove his status as the GOAT. But viewers got a much deeper look at His Airness through The Last Dance. The ESPN docuseries traveled back in time to highlight Jordan’s highest and lowest moments. From his childhood upbringing to the devastating murder of his father to the now-debunked Flu Game, there certainly was no shortage of interesting and powerful moments.
Though The Last Dance primarily focused on Jordan and the Bulls’ final championship season, it also highlighted other prominent figures. We learned about Scottie Pippen’s rise from an equipment manager to a collegiate Hall of Famer. Viewers also got a unique perspective on Dennis Rodman, the often-vilified but integral member of the Bulls’ dynasty.
Of course, Jordan shined as the principal figure in the series. He left no holds barred, even calling Pippen selfish for demanding a trade. We also learned more about MJ’s baseball career and the reasoning behind his abrupt retirement. Overall, the series unveiled so many stories about not only Michael Jordan but his Bulls teammates, opponents, family, friends, and even a pizza delivery guy.
Tom Brady’s upcoming documentary series
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Like Michael Jordan, Tom Brady is no stranger to being in the spotlight. After all, The Brady 6 covered the six quarterbacks selected before him. However, that documentary pales in comparison to ESPN’s new nine-episode series that will cover the greatest quarterback in NFL history in much greater detail.
According to the Associated Press, The Man in the Arena: Tom Brady, will cover Brady’s nine Super Bowl trips with the New England Patriots. The series will be produced by ESPN, 199 Productions and Gothram Chopra of Religion of Sports. Interestingly, 199 Productions is Brady’s own production company. Chopra served as the executive producer of the Tom vs. Time series that became a hot-button topic in New England as it exposed Brady’s doubts about his future with the Patriots and hinted at his dissatisfaction with how he was treated.
For all of his Super Bowl triumphs, Brady also had some agonizing defeats thanks to Eli Manning and Nick Foles. The 42-year-old quarterback will provide an unbelievable perspective on the challenges of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
“Through the series, we’re defining the key moments and challenges that were seemingly insurmountable, but through hard work and perseverance, became career-defining triumphs, in both victory and defeat,” Brady said.
What are some pivotal Patriots Super Bowl moments that should be featured?
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For Patriots fans, there will be plenty of tears shed when Brady’s docuseries gets released next year. On one hand, New England experienced an unprecedented run of success with Brady and Belichick. However, the nine-episode series will also re-open the wounds of three agonizing defeats.
Looking back on Brady’s nine Super Bowl appearances, there should be no shortage of captivating storylines. The former sixth-round pick became an overnight sensation by leading the underdog Patriots past Kurt Warner and the Rams in 2001. Back-to-back titles in ’03 and ’04 transformed New England into a dynasty.
Unfortunately, Patriots fans should be prepared to break out the tissues for the episode on Super Bowl XLII. Despite breaking records during the regular season, Brady and the offense came up short in clinching the NFL’s first undefeated season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins under Don Shula.
While Malcolm Butler’s game-winning interception against the Seattle Seahawks will likely get plenty of air time, the crowned jewel of Brady’s Super Bowl docuseries should be New England’s historic victory against Atlanta in Super Bowl LI. Down 28-3, Brady orchestrated an improbable comeback and sealed his status as The GOAT. We’ll have to wait to see how Tom Brady’s documentary magic measures up against Michael Jordan and The Last Dance.
