PRO SPORTS G.O.A.T.-O-METER

After his sixth Super Bowl win, Brady cements himself as football’s greatest, but can the Patriots legend measure up to The Great One?

UNTOUCHABLE

WAYNE GRETZKY

Picture Tom Brady racking up seasons of 6,000 yards and 60 touchdowns. That would be the equivalent of what Gretzky accomplished, capturing eight straight MVPs at one point and winning five of his 10 scoring titles by more than 70 points.

No other team-sport athlete has ever approached No. 99’s cartoonish dominance. Imagine Barry Bonds hitting 90 home runs in a season, not 73 – and you get an idea of what Gretzky did, with the Cups to boot.

THE ICON

MUHAMMAD ALI

Floyd Mayweather’s boxing record remains pristine, but Ali (a) arguably squared off against more legends of the sport and (b) had three years of his prime stolen away when he was suspended for his stand against the Vietnam War. Ali also gets bonus points for being the clear G.O.A.T. for athlete personalities. Every time a new superstar with swagger emerges, such as the UFC’s Conor McGregor, it feels like he owes a debt to Ali.

THE BAD BOY

> BARRY BONDS

He’s the steroid scapegoat from an era in which almost all the top sluggers juiced. Before his body noticeably bulked up, he’d already put together a Hall of Fame resume. In today’s MLB, a .400 on-base percentage qualifies as MVP-level elite. At his peak, Bonds topped .600. He was almost unstoppable.

THE CHALLENGER

TOM BRADY Given the NFL’s yearto-year parity and the physical toll football takes on the body, Brady’s six Super Bowl titles, nine Super Bowl appearances and three season MVPs are remarkable. The idea there was once a “who’s better?” debate between him and Peyton Manning feels like a distant dream now.

THE GAME CHANGER

> TIGER WOODS The most weeks ranked No. 1, the most PGA Tour Player of the Year Awards and the second-most PGA victories – even though he’s competed in the most competitive era in golf history, largely inspired by a generation of young golfers wanting to become the next him.

GRIP IS SLIPPING

> MICHAEL JORDAN Jordan, a six-time NBA champ, six-time Finals MVP, five-time season MVP and 10-time scoring champ, would rank higher on this list if it weren’t for another man amassing a track record equally impressive: Mr. LeBron James. The two have almost reached coin-flip status in the all-time NBA G.O.A.T. debate and, since James’ career isn’t ending anytime soon, there’s a chance he surpasses His Royal Airness eventually.