Michigan, freshman year, no other choice
Brady arrived at Michigan in August 1995 as a low-rated 6’4″ pocket-passer recruit from California. He was 7th on the depth chart at quarterback. Equipment manager Jon Falk handed out jerseys for fall camp; the available QB-friendly numbers (10-19, 30-39 — what NCAA rules permitted at the time for the position) were already mostly claimed by upperclassmen. Brady was assigned #12 because no one else wanted it. Falk later said Brady didn’t ask for a different number, didn’t make a fuss, and just put on the practice jersey.
Brady kept #12 through his five years at Michigan (he redshirted as a freshman, then played from 1996-99). He went 20-5 as a starter, won the 1999 Orange Bowl in his last college game, and was named MVP of that game. He was the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.
Inheriting #12 in New England
When Brady arrived at Patriots training camp in summer 2000, equipment manager Don Brocher handed him #12. The number had previously been worn by Patriots backup quarterback Michael Bishop (1999) and was unclaimed in the 2000 quarterback room. Brady kept #12 through his entire 20-year Patriots career — six Super Bowl championships, three NFL MVPs, and the most-iconic single-team QB run in modern NFL history.
When he signed with Tampa Bay in March 2020, the Buccaneers’ #12 was held by veteran wide receiver Chris Godwin. Godwin immediately offered to switch to #14 (his college number at Penn State). Brady wore #12 in Tampa for three seasons, won Super Bowl LV with the number, and added 25 more touchdown passes to bring his career total to 649.
What happens to #12 now
The Patriots have not officially retired #12 as of 2024 — owner Robert Kraft said publicly in 2023 that the franchise will retire it in a ceremony ‘when the time is right’ but that Brady wanted to wait until after his potential ESPN broadcasting career and any further public appearances were settled. Belichick wore a hoodie with a cut-off #12 patch at his 2023 retirement press conference.
Tampa Bay has unofficially preserved #12 — no Buccaneer has worn it since Brady’s 2022 retirement. The team has not officially retired the number but has not assigned it to any player on its 90-man training-camp rosters in the three seasons since. Michigan retired Brady’s #12 college jersey in a halftime ceremony in November 2024.
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Wayne Gretzky 99: The Story Behind the Number Why Did Michael Jordan Wear 23? Why Kobe Bryant Changed From #8 to #24 Why LeBron James Wears 23 (and Briefly Wore 6)Background facts cross-referenced with the Wikipedia article on Tom Brady and Pro-Football-Reference / Basketball-Reference public records.