TAMPA, Fla. — When you’re 45 and owner of enough NFL records to clutter an entire wing in Canton, Ohio, every game poses the opportunity to achieve the unprecedented.
Tom Brady did it again Sunday. In addition to orchestrating his first fourth-quarter comeback since last January’s road win against the Jets, the Bucs quarterback achieved what is believed to be the first six-figure statistic in major sports history.
Brady’s fourth-quarter screen pass to Leonard Fournette put him past 100,000 career NFL passing yards (regular season and playoffs), making him the first pro athlete in a major sport (football, basketball, baseball, hockey) to hit six figures.
He finished the game with 100,116 (36-for-58, 280 yards).
“It’s all about the win, man,” Brady said. “I’ve never cared about (the records).”
The only other apparent challenger to that milestone may have been former NFL punter Jeff Feagles, who collected a league-record 71,211 punting yards over a 22-season career, according to Pro Football Reference. No one else is even in the vicinity.
Pete Rose owns Major League Baseball’s record for plate appearances (15,890), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the NBA mark for career minutes played (57,446).
Rookie’s record night
Rookie punter Jake Camarda, emerging as a draft-weekend coup, again asserted himself as the Bucs’ most consistent — if not clutch — weapon on the damp field Sunday.
The team’s fourth-round pick, Camarda earned a game ball from coach Todd Bowles, averaging 59.5 yards on six attempts. The average is tied for the highest mark by any punter with six or more punts in a game in NFL history, according to the Bucs.
“He was huge today,” Bowles said. “Without him punting that ball and changing the field position, we’d probably be in some tough situations.”
Camarda’s first punt of the afternoon traveled 68 yards and was mishandled by Brandon Powell, giving the Rams possession at their own 9-yard line.
He upstaged that midway through the second half when — after consecutive fourth-down penalties forced him to punt from his goal line — he blasted a 74 yarder to pin the Rams at their own 11. His next try, a 66-yarder, barely kissed the goal line, resulting in a debatable touchback call.
Bucs by the numbers
5 — Consecutive games in which the Bucs defense hasn’t collected a takeaway, a franchise record.
22 — Made field goals this season by Ryan Succop, most in the NFL.
158 — Career games for linebacker Lavonte David, tying Mike Alstott for the seventh-most in Bucs history.
5,047 — Career receving yards for Chris Godwin, surpassing Mark Carrier (5,018) for second place on the Bucs’ career list. Godwin finished with seven catches for 36 yards Sunday.
Brady by the numbers
55 — Career game-winning drives, breaking a tie with Peyton Manning for most in NFL history, according to NFL Research.
373 — Consecutive passes thrown without an interception, the second-longest streak in league history.
7,523 — Career regular-season completions. He had 36 on Sunday, becoming the first NFL player to reach 7,500.
