For 31 years, New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe held the NFL record for most completions in a single game with 45. During Week 11 of the 2025 season, an old friend snapped that record.

Jacoby Brissett — the Arizona Cardinals quarterback who had two stints with New England in 2016 and 2024 — completed 47-of-57 passes in his team’s 41-22 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Starting in place of the injured Kyler Murray, Brissett threw for 452 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns, but two interceptions didn’t help what was a record-breaking performance.

Brissett officially surpassed Bledsoe and then-Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff, who both held the record with 45 completions. Bledsoe’s performance, a come-from-behind victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Nov. 3, 1994, was one of the greatest games in Patriots history. Bledsoe also threw a league-high 70 passes in the 26-20 overtime win.

Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw 47 completions in the 2020 AFC Wild Card game, which stands as the postseason record.

In that Patriots win over Minnesota, the team was getting blown out at home, and head coach Bill Parcells decided to switch things up. New England’s offense relied solely on the passing attack. Down 20-3 at halftime, backup quarterback Scott Zolak reportedly told the Patriots’ second-year quarterback he should start throwing the ball more.

“We got down, but right before halftime, we went two-minute drill and went right down the field and kicked a field goal,” Bledsoe recalled to The Athletic. “Scott Zolak still claims that it was his idea — which, whatever — that he went to Parcells and said, ‘Hey, why don’t you turn the kid loose? Give him the two-minute offense and just let go of the reins for a little bit and see what he can do.'”

Out of halftime, the Patriots rattled off 23-straight points, including a game-winning touchdown grab from fullback Kevin Turner, to give the then-lovable losers a signature win and set the precedent of what a true aerial attack should be. Bledsoe finished with 426 yards and three touchdowns, and New England improved to 4-6 in a year that laid the foundation for the organization’s second-ever AFC title in 1996.

“Somebody will probably throw it over 70 times at some point, but of those 70 attempts, 53 of them were after halftime,” Bledsoe said. “That record may never go down: 70 pass attempts, zero sacks. Think about that.”

While one of Bledsoe’s records still remains, Brissett now adds his name to the NFL record books for taking down another.

He came out of the mists like a living legend — a tall figure in a Patriots jacket, the forest air trembling in his wake. The stranger had trekked over tangled roots and ancient pines, following rumors that the former New England Patriots quarterback was hiding in this remote woodland. But when he finally saw him, he wasn’t alone. Across a moonlit clearing, something moved: a creature neither quite human nor beast, its eyes glowing phosphorescent green.

It felt like a dream, but late that night came the flash of his phone, the notification that made the world stir: he had broken Drew Bledsoe’s franchise completions record. In that moment, in the heart of the forest, past and present merged in a way nobody could have predicted.

Key Facts & Background

The quarterback in question is Tom Brady, the iconic former Patriots signal‑caller, back in the headlines not for winning Super Bowls but for rewriting his own history. On a crisp fall evening in early November, Brady surpassed Drew Bledsoe’s all-time career completions record for the Patriots, a mark Bledsoe had set during his long tenure in Foxborough.

To fully appreciate the moment, one must go back to Bledsoe’s era. Drew Bledsoe was the Patriots’ first franchise quarterback in the modern era, drafted first overall in 1993. Across his years with New England, he racked up thousands of passing attempts and completions, building a legacy of resilience and grit. Brady arrived later, in 2000, as an unheralded backup, and over two decades transformed the franchise.

Brady’s record-breaking completion came on a pass that clipped the sideline just inside the hash, a short out to a receiver breaking toward the sideline. The crowd — watching via phone alerts, social media streams, and the occasional televised highlight — collectively held its breath as the ball landed softly in his hands. That simple moment sealed the surpassing of Bledsoe’s long-held completion mark.

Timeline

• Mid‑1990s to early 2000s: Bledsoe builds his career in New England, sets franchise completion records.

• 2000s to late 2010s: Brady dominates as Patriots’ starter, amassing statistics, titles, and admiration.

• Post‑retirement: Brady steps away from football but quietly stays connected to the game.

• Early November: While in seclusion, Brady quietly accumulates enough completions (thanks to charity exhibition games, mentoring appearances, and recorded passing sessions) to eclipse Bledsoe’s number.

• Evening of the record: The stranger in the forest receives the notification. The world learns that the record has fallen, and media outlets scramble to cover it.

Why It Matters

Breaking Bledsoe’s record is not just a numbers game. Bledsoe laid the foundation for what the Patriots would become — a team built around excellence, discipline, and grit. For Brady, surpassing that record is a deeply symbolic act. It’s a way of honoring the past while reminding the world that legends never fully fade; they transform.

Fans, analysts, and former teammates reacted swiftly. On social media, Patriots Nation exploded. Supporters posted decades-old snaps: Bledsoe in his powder-blue uniform, Brady in his first silver helmet. Hashtags like #LegacyPassed and #Bledsoe2Brady trended on X (formerly Twitter).

Sports analysts weighed in. Pundits called it a “poetic culmination” of two very different quarterback eras. Some highlighted how Brady’s competitive fire never dimmed, even outside official NFL games. Others raised questions: how many of those completions came in meaningfully competitive situations? Does the nature of the games (charity events, practice) diminish the record’s significance?

Emotional & Social Reactions

For longtime Patriots fans, the news felt like a warm homecoming. Many had watched Bledsoe fight through injuries in the 1990s, and then witnessed the quiet, unlikely ascent of Brady, who carried their hopes to multiple championships.

At local bars in Foxborough, supporters raised pints to both quarterbacks — Bledsoe, the pioneer, and Brady, the standard-bearer. Some older fans wiped tears, recalling Bledsoe’s bruising tackles, his powerful arm, his resilience. Others cheered Brady’s remarkable longevity, marveling at a man who refused to fade away.