Patriots: Tom Brady breaking all-time NFL passing record was incredibly anticlimactic

Wasn’t the game supposed to stop? With an acknowledgment and tip of the cap from the previous record holder in Drew Brees?

After all, this was Tom Brady’s return to New England as he was on the verge of breaking the NFL’s all-time passing record.

The former Patriots quarterback was back where his career began and ultimately flourished in historic capacity, and you couldn’t have written a better story with TB12 just 69 yards away from achieving the next milestone on his illustrious Hall of Fame resume.

As expected, needing just 28 yards and driving into Patriots territory, he got the job done in the first quarter with a bullet to Mike Evans. Or did he?

At first, the completion was marked as a 27-yard gain. Then the refs quickly convened and gave Brady and Evans another yard as the Bucs ran down the field to get ready for the next play.

Cris Collinsworth and Al Michaels really weren’t sure what to say because it was the worst possible outcome!

Tom Brady breaking the NFL’s all-time passing record was … anticlimactic.

Record broken! Yay?

No stoppage of play. Cameras simply cut to Brees who just … clapped a few times? Then the jumbotron at Gillette Stadium tossed up a very lame graphic.

Heading into the game, reports suggested that the Patriots, Bucs, Brady and Bill Belichick weren’t keen on stopping play to celebrate the seven-time champion’s achievement, but the NFL was. Well, apparently not! Once again, even when they’re not on the same team, Brady and Belichick get their way.

In all honesty, we expected Brady to be a yard short of the mark on that ball to Evans and then for him to burn the Patriots with a touchdown pass on his next completion to surpass Brees in style. Now that would’ve called for a stoppage of play for some embrace and commemoration.

Instead, we got an awkward completion right up against Brees’ record and Evans’ forward progress kind of interrupted what was supposed to be a special moment.

The Adele promo. Julian Edelman’s memes. Brady’s videos. Belichick dodging questions. We had everything leading up to this week, and we really thought there’d be a more definitive, memorable moment for Brady strengthening his case as the all-time greatest football player.

Instead, we got a first down and an eventual field goal attempt. Riveting.

Patriots: Tom Brady and Julian Edelman post heartfelt final tributes before TB12 return

Tom Brady and Julian Edelman both took to Twitter to post heartfelt tributes before Brady returns to Gillette Stadium to face the Patriots.