Tom Brady headed his statement, “FOREVER A PATRIOT.”
But what followed in the statement on the GOAT quarterback’s Instagram page Tuesday morning was a declaration that after two decades in New England, the free agent will not be coming back to play for the team he led to six Super Bowl rings.
“To all my teammates, coaches, executives, and staff, Coach Belichick, RKK (owner Robert Kraft), and the entire organization, I want to say thank you for the past 20 years of my life, and your daily commitment to winning and creating a culture built on great values,” the first sentence read.
You can read the full statement in the picture box above.
Throughout his multiple MVP career, Brady has taken less money than lesser QB’s to help the Pats build and turn over Super Bowl roster after Super Bowl roster. New England reached the title game of the NFL in almost half the sessons he was there — (Ed Rooney voice) NINE TIMES.
Where will he go? Los Angeles, Tampa Bay and Indianapolis continue to be the teams most frequently mentioned, with Las Vegas a logical possibility as well, considering his frequent attendance at major UFC fights and apparent friendship with both UFC chief Dana White and Raiders owner Mark Davis.
If you want a prediction: I’ll go L.A., then Tampa.
Brady is building his “TB12” fitness lifestyle brand in L.A.
LeBron James, the NBA’s GOAT (arguably) finally moved there, where he already had a house, to build his global brand and play for a team nobody now doubts can win a title in the twilight of his career.
Brady could move back to his home state — with the only other option in his home metro area of San Francisco out of play after the defending NFC champion 49ers reportedly stuck to Brady’s former backup Jimmy Garoppolo.
Tom Terrific could play for a Chargers team that needs a QB after 37-year-old free agent Phillip Rivers walked away, and the team needs a buzz in a place where it can’t sell out its 32,000 seat soccer stadium or only does when opposing fan bases like the Packers and Vikings invade it.
The Chargers a year ago were 12-4 before coming to New England in the AFC playoffs to get beat by the Patriots, then was a trendy Super Bowl contending pick before this last season before Rivers’ arm and accuracy turned to pudding.
The Chargers dropped off this past year (7-9), but had a slew of injuries and still have one of the most talented receivers in the NFL in Keenan Allen at Brady’s disposal. But Melvin Gordon is gone and Brady’s play and stats dwindled this past year, partly because he had a thin and/or banged-up weaponry at receiever.
So dwindling mah be the potential of a 43-year-old making any difference for the Chargers, or wherever Brady goes. And wherever he goes, the defense won’t be what he had in the Patriots, who were tops in total defense.
This includes the Chargers, who ranked 14th, and the Bucs, who ranked 27th but have plenty of artillery on offense and one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL in Bruce Arians.
Is Tampa Bay a Super Bowl contender, and would Brady make them one? It would seem not after a 5-11 season. However, Jameis Winston passed for 5,109 yards and who knows how far the 30 drives Winston killed with interceptions would have gone, and more points the Bucs would have scored, and games they would have won.
While Brady isn’t as lethal with his arm as he once was, and never has been with his feet, he hasn’t been an interception machine.
None of the divisions Brady would play in would be as easy to conquer as the AFC East, which the Patriots won in each of Brady’s final 12 seasons, most of the time easily.
The Bucs are in the NFC South, which a couple years ago seemed like the belly of the NFL beast with the Saints, Falcons and Panthers. But only New Orleans of those teams now seems like a beast to slay.
Conventional wisdom says Brady is insane to go to L.A. or Vegas, simply because Patrick Mahomes and the Super Bowl champion Chiefs appear to have their talent-freak flag planted for at least a couple more years.
That leaves the Colts in the AFC South, which a pundit recently dubbed the “MAC of the NFL.” Competitive but far from relevant or inconquerable. For the taking.
But who knows if Brady truly cares deeply about a path of less resistance to the Super Bowl. Maybe he does just care about proving he can be Tom Brady outside of Bill Belichick’s building and guise.
Or maybe he just wants happiness, however he defines it.
Who knows. But for most accomplished, ego-driven and good-looking celebrities, especially those married to filthy rich and filthy good-looking worldwide mega-celebrities like Brady’s underwear model wife, who he brags about making far more money than him, L.A. never seems like a bad bet.
