The NFL announced Brady's win with the following tweet:
NFL @NFL🚨🚨 TB12 = MVP! 🚨🚨 @Patriots QB Tom Brady is the 2017 Most Valuable Player! #NFLHonors
Brady also received a salute from the Patriots:
New England Patriots @PatriotsTB12. GOAT. MVP.
Brady is now a three-time NFL MVP, having previously won in 2007 and 2010. At 40 years of age, he is also the oldest MVP in NFL history.
Injured Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman accepted the award on Brady's behalf and delivered a message for Brady, per NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala:
Aditi Kinkhabwala @AKinkhabwalaJulian Edelman accepts Tom Brady’s MVP trophy and says Brady told him to say, “LFG.” He says he doesn’t know what it means, but he’s following instructions. (I don’t know what it means either.)
After finishing second to Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan in last year's MVP voting, Brady managed to turn in yet another strong performance in the 18th season of his future Hall of Fame career.
In addition to leading the Patriots to the No. 1 seed in the AFC with a 13-3 record, as well as their ninth consecutive AFC East crown, he put up some eye-popping statistics.
The five-time Super Bowl champion completed 66.3 percent of his passes for a league-leading 4,577 yards to go along with 32 touchdowns and only eight interceptions.
Even more impressive was that some of his top weapons were limited or out due to injuries for much of the campaign.
Edelman missed the entire year after tearing his ACL during the preseason, while wideout Chris Hogan appeared in only nine contests.
Brady overcame that adversity by linking up with tight end Rob Gronkowski, wideouts Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola and a host of running backs, including Dion Lewis, Rex Burkhead and Super Bowl LI hero James White.
Additionally, Brady picked up the slack for a defense that struggled through the early part of the season.
Although New England's defense stiffened as the year went on and developed into a relative strength, it finished the season ranked 29th in total yards allowed per game.
Brady will go for his sixth Super Bowl ring Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles, but according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, the Super Bowl hasn't been kind to MVP winners in recent years:
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynoldsNFL MVPs in Super Bowl 2017: Tom Brady, TBD 2016: Matt Ryan, lost 2015: Cam Newton, lost 2013: Peyton Manning, lost 2009: Peyton Manning, lost 2007: Tom Brady, lost 2005: Shaun Alexander, lost 2002: Rich Gannon, lost 2001: Kurt Warner, lost Last MVP to win SB: Kurt Warner, 1999
Brady was already in the discussion as the greatest quarterback of all time, and a third MVP award further solidifies his case.
Brett Favre and Johnny Unitas are the only other players to win exactly three MVP awards, and Brady is now chasing only Peyton Manning, who won five.
For his career, Brady ranks fourth all-time in passing yards (66,159) and third in passing touchdowns (488).
