That's right, stardom. Tom Brady's resume speaks for itself, but after Matt Cassel's 2008 season, it's no stretch to affix that celestial descriptor to his name, as well.

Cassel's Pats won their 11th game yesterday, shutting out the Bills 13-0 in a wind tunnel at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Cassel was only asked to throw eight passes because of the elements, but it hardly mattered. He had long ago earned his keep.

``I don't think you can say enough,'' said center Dan Koppen. ``Matt's gotten better every week and become a really great NFL quarterback.''

Koppen is not prone to hyperbole, so when he calls Cassel great, he means it. And this leads to an interesting question: In the wake of a report that Brady's knee could require another season-ending surgery, might Cassel actually return?

Nothing's out of the question. After what could have been his final game in a Patriots uniform, Cassel reflected on the season and addressed his uncertain future.

``I'm very happy and very satisfied,'' Cassel said. ``It's been a long road to get here. At the beginning of the season I couldn't tell you that I envisioned us being 11-5 at this point with an opportunity to get into the playoffs. But sitting here now, looking back, it's been a great year.''

Cassel's transformation from perceived final cut to coveted free agent is one of the great stories of this or any other year, even as the Patriots were eliminated from playoff contention by the Dolphins and Ravens yesterday.

Cassel finished with just under 3,700 passing yards, plus 21 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. By the end of the season, his Patriots owned what might have been the most complete offense in the NFL.

The assumption all along has been that Cassel will walk as a free agent and land a huge contract with one of the league's many quarterback-starved teams. More than $30 million guaranteed wouldn't be a shock.

But with Brady's situation cloudy - NBCSports.com also noted that he's ``well behind schedule'' in his rehab and battling scar tissue that could require additional surgery - the Patriots may be forced to franchise Cassel for one year and roughly $12 million and just bite the bullet that 20 percent of next year's payroll will be spent on quarterbacks.

``If it works out that I come back here, there's no doubt in my mind that I'd be a happy guy,'' Cassel said. ``I love the Patriots organization, I love the Krafts, I love coach (Bill) Belichick and coach (Josh) McDaniels and what I've been able to do here. They gave me an opportunity to be a pro quarterback in the NFL.''

Cassel ran with it. Veteran Junior Seau has seen a lot in his 19 seasons, but what Cassel did might be a first.

``You have to have a player that can persevere and that believes in himself, and a player that can go out there and lead and he had it all,'' Seau said. ``You take your hat off to that. Cassel's going to be a great quarterback in this league, but who knows where the journey may lead?''

That is a question that will not be answered for some time. All we know is that when Cassel stepped in, Patriots fans had no right to expect the performance he delivered.

``We've had a backup who got his chance and did OK with it - No. 12, Tom Brady,'' tight end Ben Watson said. ``He was a backup, too. He got his chance and played well, and Cassel did the same thing.''

Even after watching the last 16 games, it's staggering to consider: Matt Cassel, NFL star.

- jtomase@bostonherald.com