As a guest on the Pewter Report Podcast back in May, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians revealed that Tom Brady was dealing with an MCL injury during the 2020 season. Now, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it has been revealed that Brady was playing through a fully torn MCL. You read that correctly. Fully. Torn. MCL.

“It was an injury I dealt with really since last, you know, April, May,” Brady said during mini-camp in June. “I knew I would have to do something at the end of the year. I’m happy I did it. It was probably something that certainly needed to be done and there was a great outcome, so I’m very happy about that. I feel like there’s some things I’ll be able to do this year that I wasn’t able to do last year.”

Per Tampa Bay Times Bucs reporter Rick Stroud, Brady suffered the injury towards the end of his time with the New England Patriots. Stroud reports that the knee worsened throughout the season, and Brady knew at the end of the year surgery was his best option.

This is the same MCL that Brady fully tore back in 2008, alongside a fully torn ACL that kept him out for the whole season. However, the Super Bowl MVP is now fully recovered and will be ready for the season opener against the Dallas Cowboys.

Despite the injury, Brady not only set the franchise record for touchdown passes in a single season, but led the Bucs to their first playoff appearance in 13 years. The 43-year old won three road games to make it to the Super Bowl. There he out-dueled superstar QB Patrick Mahomes to win his seventh Super Bowl. With a healthy knee in 2021, who knows what will be possible for Brady as he eyes his eighth ring. The legend lives on.