Tom Brady's final NFL game reaffirmed his status as the GOAT in a way that only he could

• Tom Brady nearly led the Bucs to a 24-point comeback win over the Rams in his final NFL game.
• It speaks to Brady's greatness that everyone expected the comeback.
• Brady won so often, for so long, that he felt inevitable in a way no other quarterback could.

That Tom Brady could make a 27-3 game compelling spoke to his history in the NFL and the reputation he carried.

This was the scenario Brady faced in what we now was his final NFL game: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers trailed the Los Angeles Rams 27-3 in the third quarter of the divisional round of the playoffs. His team had been vastly outplayed, and yet, there was a feeling when the Rams scored their third touchdown eight minutes into the second half that the game was just about to begin rather than end.

Who else could inspire confidence in that situation?

Patrick Mahomes could stake a claim, having led his fair share of comebacks in his four years as a starting quarterback.

But for Brady, it was a familiar script. Brady had a history in such situations, of course. In a 22-season career full of iconic moments, arguably the greatest came in 2017 when he led the New England Patriots back from a 28-3 deficit against the Atlanta Falcons to win the Super Bowl.

So, facing a similar situation against the Rams, the NFL world braced itself for what would seem impossible for just about any other player: Brady was going to win this game.

The clock ran out on Brady

Incredibly, Brady did erase that deficit.

He had help, of course. The Rams turned the ball over four times in the second half — three fumbles and a missed field goal — granting the Bucs as many opportunities as possible.

Brady and the Bucs largely capitalized. They put up 24 points in about 22 minutes, knotting the game up at 27 with 42 seconds remaining after a Leonard Fournette touchdown run. 

But after a stellar second half, the Bucs defense let the team down, allowing Rams receiver Cooper Kupp to get free on a 44-yard catch that set up the game-winning field goal as time expired.

Brady never got to touch the ball again, robbing fans of the chance to see if he could pull off another unbelievable comeback. It was a strange sight: cameras caught a resigned Brady on the sideline, watching the kick go through the uprights, then walking onto the field with a stoic expression, not getting the final say in what would have been another epic chapter in his career.

The finish encapsulated Brady's greatness

Even in defeat, the Bucs' valiant fight encapsulated what has made Brady great for so long: a feeling of inevitability.

According to Pro Football Reference, Brady authored 51 fourth-quarter comebacks and led 67 game-winning drives across the regular season and playoffs.

In tight situations, Brady never panicked, never attempted to play outside of himself. He remained composed, taking what defenses gave him, then making the perfect throws when he had to.

It didn't always work out for him, but it did more often than not — Brady won an incredible 243 of the 318 regular-season games he played in the NFL, a 76.4% win percentage. He won 74% of his postseason games, too. In a league designed to create parity, Brady brought his team to the Super Bowl 10 times in 22 seasons. He made it to at least the Final Four 14 times.

That reality helped fuel the perception of Brady: he did win most of the time, so it always felt like he was going to win. Never was this more evident than when he trailed the Rams by 24 points two weeks ago. No quarterback could be expected to recreate their greatest achievement, but Brady nearly did.

Ultimately, Brady didn't win his final game, an occurrence that happened in just a quarter of the games he played over two decades. That he was capable of doing so and that everyone expected him to, only reinforce his status as the greatest quarterback of all time.