The 13,172nd and final pass attempt of Tom Brady’s career, on the Bucs’ final drive of a furious comeback against the Rams, was a nine-yard completion to Cameron Brate.
One play later, Leonard Fournette reached the end zone on a nine-yard run with 42 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, knotting the score at 27. We all know what happened after that.
The pass to Brate was Brady’s 30th completion on a day in which he threw for 329 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
Thanks to Pro Football Reference and other resources, here is a look at the final pass of 10 other great quarterbacks (all incomplete) from the past 25 seasons, including a few who were forced out of their last game due to injury.
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers 2021
Big Ben threw for 215 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-21 wild-card loss at Kansas City on January 16. He completed his last four passes with the final one to Zach Gentry for 11 yards before time expired.
Drew Brees, Saints 2020
While a 43-year-old Brady accounting for three touchdowns in the Bucs’ 30-20 divisional-round win in the Superdome, the 42-year-old Brees completed his career by throwing for 134 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. The third pick, by Mike Edwards with 4:25 to play, was Brees’ final pass attempt.
Peyton Manning, Broncos 2015
Manning went out on top as the Broncos defeated the Panthers, 24-10, in Super Bowl 50. His last pass attempt was a successful two-point conversion to Bennie Fowler with 3:13 remaining in the game to account for the final score. On that touchdown drive, Manning’s last official pass attempt was incomplete and intended for Demaryius Thomas. Manning threw for 141 yards and one interception.
Brett Favre, Vikings 2010
Favre’s final pass was incomplete and intended for Visanthe Shiancoe with 12:09 left in the second quarter of a 40-14 loss to visiting Chicago in Week 15. Two plays later, Favre’s career came to an end when a Corey Wootton sack knocked him out of the game with concussion-like symptoms. He threw for 63 yards, one TD and one pick.
Kurt Warner, Cardinals 2009
Warner’s final pass, intended for Steve Breaston late in the fourth quarter of a 45-14 divisional-round loss at New Orleans, was incomplete. Breaston was on the receiving end (seven yards) of Warner’s final completion earlier in the drive. Warner threw for 205 yards and one interception.
Troy Aikman, Cowboys 2000
Midway through the opening quarter of a 32-13 and Week 15 loss at Texas Stadium, Aikman was hit by linebacker LaVar Arrington and suffered the 10th concussion of his career. The play, an incomplete pass intended for James McKnight, would be the last of Aikman’s career. He went 2-for-3 for 16 yards in his final game.
Warren Moon, Chiefs 2000
Starting in place of the injured Elvis Grbac, and having turned 44 eight days earlier, Moon threw for 130 yards and one interception in a 17-16 loss at San Diego in Week 13. His last pass, intended for Tony Gonzalez, was incomplete. It was only Moon’s second game that season, and the final game of his career. Grbac returned the following week and Moon was inactive for the duration.
Dan Marino, Dolphins 1999
It is hard to imagine a worse finale. Marino threw for 95 yards and was intercepted twice in a 62-7 defeat at Jacksonville. After completing a four-yard pass to J.J. Johnson during the opening series of the second half, Marino’s next and final pass attempt, intended for O.J. McDuffie, was incomplete. With Miami trailing 41-7, Damon Huard took over on the Dolphins’ next possession.
Steve Young, 49ers 1999
Like Favre and Aikman, Young’s career came to an end after being hit. A blitzing Aeneas Williams leveled the quarterback late in the first half of San Francisco’s 24-10 win at Arizona in Week 3. The play, resulting in an incompletion, was the final one of the concussed Young’s career. He threw for 92 yards, a touchdown and an INT before departing.
John Elway, Broncos 1998
Like Manning 17 years later, Elway finished his career by leading Denver to a Super Bowl victory. In a 34-19 win over the Falcons, Elway threw for 336 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. An incomplete pass intended for Rod Smith late in the fourth quarter, followed shortly thereafter by a kneel down, after which Elway would be replaced by Bubby Brister for one more kneel down, was his final pass.
Jim Kelly, Bills 1996
With Buffalo’s wild card game against visiting Jacksonville tied at 27 in the fourth quarter, Kelly was drilled by safety Chris Hudson, resulting in a fumble that the Jags cashed in on with a decisive field goal. Kelly was carted off the field with a concussion. Two plays earlier, a pass to Thurman Thomas, Kelly’s final career attempt, was incomplete. He threw for 239 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
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