How One Rule Defined a Dynasty

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are widely considered to be the greatest Quarterback Head Coach Duo the NFL has ever seen.

Brady, the 199th overall pick out of Michigan in the 2000 draft was never expected to be considered the best ever, or even expected to ever start when he was drafted. Belicheck a student of the sport, and his father the long time coach in the Army. After becoming the Head Coach in Cleveland, Belichick never won in the playoffs and the franchise eventually moved to Baltimore without him. Somehow under the most unlikely of circumstances, they both found themselves in the 2001 AFC Championship game against the Oakland Raiders. Earlier that year, the starting quarterback Drew Bledsoe tore his ACL a few games into the season. Belichick, the rookie head coach was forced to put the 6th round rookie Tom Brady into the game.

This would be the first of many instances that would shape the history of football for the next 15 years.

It was a snowy day in Boston Massachusetts, and it was perfect weather for playoff football, at least for the fans it was. The condition for the players was miserable. the snow stuck to the field and you could barely see 20 yards down the field through the flurry. It would be the first stepping stone for a dynasty in New England. The Raiders seemed to dominate early setting up a 13-0 lead by halftime, but the Patriots stormed back in the second half. with 1:50 left in the 4th quarter Brady dropped back to pass, but couldn't find any open receivers. While pumping the football, defensive-back Charles Woodsen came from the right side of the field on Brady's blind side and hit him. This caused Brady to fumble the ball, and the Raiders to recover. The officials on the field ruled it a Fumble. However, in 1999 a new rule had been put in place that states: 

" When [an offensive] player is holding the ball to pass it forward, any intentional forward movement of his arm starts a forward pass, even if the player loses possession of the ball as he is attempting to tuck it back toward his body. Also, if the player has tucked the ball into his body and then loses possession, it is a fumble."