Fields rare former OSU starter to face Brady in NFL originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Tom Brady is a product of one of college football's greatest rivalries, but the proud Michigan Wolverine has not had many chances to relieve his epic battles against Ohio State in the NFL.
In fact, Sunday marks a first in regards to the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry -- it will be the first time Brady faces a Buckeye quarterback as a starter. The Chicago Bears' Justin Fields steps into the void to represent Columbus at the top level against arguably the game's greatest quarterback.
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Brady was asked about this rare occurrence Thursday and at first feigned some diplomacy towards OSU given that his current focus is on another rival -- Michigan State -- who the Wolverines will face this week. Still, Brady offered some indirect shade with an open query.
"That's interesting, why is there not a lot of Ohio State quarterbacks in the pros?," Brady said. "A lot of Michigan guys over the years."
In Fields, Brady will be facing an Buckeye quarterback who dominated Michigan in his only game in the rivalry. Fields led OSU to a 56-27 win over Michigan in November of 2019 en route to a Big Ten title and a berth in that year's College Football Playoff. Fields threw for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Though he played in Columbus in 2020, Fields couldn't follow up that performance as the Ohio State-Michigan game didn't take place in a pandemic-shortened Big Ten season.
Brady played in Ann Arbor from 1996 to 1999 and his teams went 3-1 against OSU. Brady started in two games against the Buckeyes and went 1-1, his win coming as a senior in 1999.
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