The former quarterback decided to re-run a 40-yard dash following a shoot with his new "NoBull" company recently ... just to see if after all these years, he could move a bit quicker than when he was trying to get noticed by NFL teams at the 2000 Combine.

Brady wasn't sure if he could beat his now-infamous mark of 5.28 seconds ... saying prior to the run to his buds, "Let's see if we can level up."

Turns out, though, he does, indeed, have better wheels these days!

Check out the footage of the sprint ... the two who timed Brady's jaunt had him at 5.18 seconds and 5.12 -- both clear improvements from when he was a little-known signal-caller who had just wrapped up his Michigan career.

Brady's "NoBull" business partner, Mike Repole, could hardly believe the times ... joking with TB12, "If you do that 25 years ago, you get drafted in the third round!"

Of course, being better with age is nothing new for Brady. Four of his seven Super Bowl wins came AFTER he turned 37 years old -- with his final title coming following his 43rd birthday.