The Seattle Seahawks are heading back to the Super Bowl, and one of the greatest to ever do it had a front-row seat - and a headset - for their NFC Championship win.
Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and FOX Sports analyst, was on the call for Seattle’s thrilling 31-27 victory over the Los Angeles Rams at Lumen Field. The win punched the Seahawks’ ticket to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, and Brady had plenty to say about what he saw on the field.
Joining Brock & Salk on Seattle Sports 710 the morning after the game, Brady broke down the Seahawks’ performance and shared some insight from his unique perspective. But the conversation didn’t stop at X’s and O’s. The future Hall of Famer also touched on a few personal notes - including his college recruitment process and a little-known connection to co-host Brock Huard.
Turns out, the University of Washington was very much on Brady’s radar back in the day.
“You chose Washington pretty early on in your journey,” Brady told Huard. “And that was one of the West Coast schools that I obviously loved. We all did, but they were off the board.”
That little nugget raised some eyebrows. Did Tom Brady - the Michigan man, the sixth-round pick turned GOAT - once dream of suiting up for the Huskies?
It sure sounds like it was a possibility, at least in the early stages of his recruitment. Washington was a coveted destination for quarterbacks in the mid-90s, and with Huard already locked in, the door may have quietly closed on Brady before it ever truly opened.
Let’s rewind the tape for a second.
Brock Huard, a Seattle native and one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Huskies history, committed to UW and played there from 1996 to 1998. In that span, he led the team to three bowl games, threw for over 5,700 yards, and racked up 51 touchdowns. His college career had highs and lows, but he was a cornerstone of the program during a transitional era.
Huard was drafted by the Seahawks in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft and spent parts of three seasons in the league, including a brief stint with the Colts. He made four starts in the NFL but never found the same success he had in college.
Brady, meanwhile, took a different path. He landed at Michigan, where he had to fight tooth and nail for playing time, eventually earning the starting job and leading the Wolverines to an Orange Bowl win. He wasn’t a blue-chip recruit and didn’t have the hype of some of his peers, but his work ethic and poise under pressure set the foundation for what would become the most decorated career in NFL history.
Six Super Bowl rings with the Patriots. One with the Buccaneers.
Three league MVPs. Five Super Bowl MVPs.
Fifteen Pro Bowls. The résumé speaks for itself - and then some.
It’s fascinating to think how different things might’ve looked if Brady had ended up in purple and gold instead of maize and blue. There’s no telling how that would’ve shaped his trajectory - or Washington’s - but it’s one of those fun “what if” moments that adds another layer to the legend.
For now, Brady is enjoying his post-playing career in the booth, and Seahawks fans are enjoying the ride to another Super Bowl. And as he continues to analyze the game from a new vantage point, it’s clear his deep understanding of football - from college recruiting battles to championship-caliber execution - remains as sharp as ever.