NFL Now Has Players Who Were Born After Tom Brady's Career Began

By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- Tom Brady is old. Not necessarily real life old. But at 43 and rapidly approaching his 44th birthday, for an active NFL quarterback, he's ancient. It's kind of ridiculous.

Surely, you've heard about Brady's age roughly 11 million times in recent years, to the point where the mythical achievement of winning a Super Bowl at 43 years old has maybe been softened a bit.

Fortunately, there's a new way to show just how long Brady's been playing in the NFL, and it came over the weekend when players who were born after Brady's career began were drafted into the NFL.

It didn't take long, either.

Quarterback Trey Lance, the third overall pick by the 49ers, was born on May 9, 2000, a few weeks after Brady was pick No. 199 by New England.

On the very next pick at No. 4 overall, the Atlanta Falcons selected Kyle Pitts out of Florida. Pitts was considered probably the most explosive athlete in the draft, and he'll now go up against Brady's Buccaneers twice per year in the NFC South.

Pitts was born on Oct. 6, 2000. So he was born 174 days after Brady was drafted by the Patriots on April 16, 2000.

Offensive tackle Penei Sewell -- the seventh overall pick by Detroit, shortly after Pitts was drafted -- was born on Oct. 9, 2000.

Wide receiver Anthony Schwartz, who was drafted by the Browns at No. 91 overall, was born on Sept. 5, 2000. That was two days after Brady's first game with the Patriots, though Brady was inactive for that Week 1 loss to the ... Buccaneers.

Jaycee Horn was drafted eighth overall by the Panthers. Patrick Surtain II was drafted one spot later. Brady played against both of their fathers.

Asante Samuel Jr. was drafted in the second round. Brady of course was a teammate of Samuel Jr.'s father for five years, from 2003-07.

Wide receiver Amari Rodgers was drafted by the Packers in the third round. His father -- former quarterback Tee Martin -- was drafted 36 spots ahead of Brady in the 2000 draft.

Tom Brady smiles at the end of his first career victory in September 2001. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

Other players drafted over the weekend who were born after Brady entered the NFL include tight end Jordan Brevin (July 16, 2000), linebacker Cameron McGrone (June 22, 2000), linebacker Azeez Ojulari (June 16, 2000), receiver Rondale Moore (June 9, 2000), receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. (June 9, 2000), tight end Tommy Tremble (June 2, 2000), guard Jalen Mayfield (May 23, 2000), cornerback Greg Newsome II (May 18, 2000), defensive tackle Alim McNeil (May 11, 2000), cornerback Darren Hall (May 2, 2000), and running back Javonte Williams (April 25, 2000).

This spring in Tampa, Brady will be meeting some new teammates who were babies when his own career began. That includes quarterback Kyle Trask, who was closing in on his fourth birthday when Brady won his first Super Bowl in February 2002. The Bucs' top pick -- tackle Joe Tryon -- was born in April of 1999, when Brady was gearing up for his final season at Michigan.

Interestingly enough, there still hasn't been anyone drafted who was born after Brady played in his first game. Brady saw action as a rookie only once, on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit, Nov. 23, 2000. Pitts had almost seven full weeks of life experience when Brady took the field that day.

In that sense, the real history will take place next year, when a whole crop of players born in 2001 enters the NFL. But for now, we can marvel at the fact that a man who was already an NFL player when a number of his "peers" entered the world is the reigning Super Bowl MVP. It's not some kicker, or some punter. It's a quarterback, out there getting hit by linebackers and hulking defensive linemen who are half his age.

It's pretty crazy. Tom Brady is old. You already knew that. Now there's just a different, ridiculous perspective on that madness.