It is not often that a season can be defined by a game played in Week 3 of the NFL season, but that is exactly what Tom Brady and the Patriots did in 2005. Coming off back-to-back Super Bowl championships, the Patriots showed no signs of slowing down, storming back in the fourth quarter against the Steelers for a shocking early-season victory. Brady completed 12 of 12 passes for 168 yards in the fourth quarter while leading the last three of four straight scoring drives in a 23-20 come-from-behind win over the eventual Super Bowl champs.
“He’s ice, man,” tight end Christian Fauria said.
The game marked the second of ten wins during the season for the Patriots, who were ousted in the second round of the playoffs. Still, Brady was superb, leading the NFL with a then-career-high 4,110 yards and adding 28 touchdowns.
The matchup with the Steelers is etched into history as the Finest Moment on the back of Brady’s 2006 Topps Finest Football card. This is one of just three copies of his /49 Gold Refractor to receive a Gem Mint PSA 10 grade. Among non-rookies, Brady is the defining player on the checklist. This card also carries the prestige and inherent beauty of a Gold Refractor, one of the cornerstone parallels in the modern hobby.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 10/31/2025.
