Every experiment sets out to prove a hypothesis, and Tom Brady formulated an outrageous one last March, when he chose to flee the empire he helped build in New England to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Going from a franchise with whom he had won six titles to one that had won a total of six playoff games, Brady believed that, at age 43, he could master a new offense, acclimate to a new team and conquer a new conference, all while the coronavirus pandemic limited in-person activity.
The most precious of NFL baubles is the Super Bowl ring, and each of Brady’s — seven, the latest secured on Sunday night — reinforce an indomitable truth: When he has something to prove, he is just about unbeatable.