NFL teams
Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer 10y

Poll: Most trust Tom Brady in clutch

NFL, New England Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, Mass -- When New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman is asked why Tom Brady is the clear-cut choice as the quarterback any team would want in the huddle with two minutes remaining and the Super Bowl on the line, he is quick with his answer.

"Look at his résumé," Edelman said.

Edelman and others around the NFL did just that in making Brady a runaway winner in ESPN.com's NFL Nation Confidential anonymous player survey.

Brady received 128 of a possible 320 votes, outdistancing Peyton Manning, who tallied 86 votes.

Brady has played in five Super Bowls, winning three by leading the Patriots from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie. In his 14-year career, he has engineered 41 winning drives from a fourth-quarter deficit or tie.

"He is a very calm guy when the game is on the line," Patriots rookie receiver Kenbrell Thompkins said. "He just says, 'We live for these moments. Let's do it.'"

Few have done it better than Brady, whose fiery leadership and cool-headed play in the clutch are a rare mix.

Brady has 30 comeback drives when trailing in the fourth quarter, which ranks fifth in NFL history behind John Elway (43), Manning (40), Dan Marino (37) and Joe Montana (31).

Teammates of Brady say they can't help but feel his confidence at crunch time.

"He's been there before and done it," receiver Danny Amendola said. "You just kind of follow him as he takes the lead."

"It just comes from his experience, 14 years, that control he has over pretty much anyone in the huddle. He just takes over," tight end Michael Hoomanawanui added. "Obviously, the fact he's done it time and time before helps out a lot, too. That's pretty much the way he goes out and plays each and every snap.

"But when it comes down to those two-minute situations, he takes it to another level. That's why he's the man."

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