This day in sports history: Bobby Thomson's 'shot heard ‘round the world,' Tom Brady surpasses Drew Brees

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Tom Brady retired from the NFL earlier this year after 23 seasons in the league. In that length of time, the future Hall of Fame quarterback reached and set many milestones, and on Oct. 3, 2021, he surpassed Drew Brees to become the NFL’s all-time leader in career passing yards.

It was Brady’s first time back at Gillette Stadium since he left New England to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He entered the game needing less than 70 yards to top Brees’ all-time record of 80,358. 

Quarterback Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers waves to the crowd as he exits the field after defeating the New England Patriots in the game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on Oct. 3, 2021. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

And then in the first quarter, Brady did just that. 

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He connected with wide receiver Mike Evans on a 28-yard pass and with it, he became the new record holder. 

"There are some people who have kind of preceded it by name. Drew Brees, who I look up to, is a hell of a guy, great player," Brady said after the game, via ESPN. "Peyton Manning — one of my all-time favorites — Brett Favre, Dan Marino, but obviously, my teammates who caught all these passes over the years mean an awful lot to me."

Brady retired in February and still holds the record with 89,214 yards. The next closest active player on that list is Aaron Rodgers at No. 9 with 59,055 yards. 

With the Brooklyn Dodgers leading 4-2 in the last half of the ninth inning, the New York Giants' Bobby Thomson hit a home run into the left field stands with two men