There’s been a lot of talk about Tom Brady‘s future recently, thanks to ESPN’s Adam Schefter hinting on this past week’s Monday Night Football broadcast that Brady might be eyeing a new team in 2020. Appearing on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ earlier this week Schefter doubled down, per Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston. Schefter laid out the three possible options: Brady retiring, Brady returning to the Patriots in 2020, or Brady going to a new team. Schefter then said that “staying in New England, to me, would seem like the least likely option of the three.”
That’s a pretty bold statement to make, and Schefter is obviously one of the most well-connected people around the league so he wouldn’t say something like that lightly. The Patriots are coming off yet another Super Bowl win and have started the season 7-0, but thanks to a unique contract maneuver with voidable years, Brady is set to become a free agent at the end of the 2019 campaign. Brady’s deal includes a provision that precludes the Pats from franchise-tagging him, so he’s truly free to walk if he wants to. We’ll surely hear a lot more about his future with New England before the end of the season.
Here’s more from around the league on a quiet Saturday evening as we await kickoff:
- Speaking of the Patriots, their former receiver Antonio Brown is still looking for work. It’s been made clear that Brown won’t be picked up before the league includes its investigation into his sexual assault allegations, and the two sides appear to be in a stalemate. Brown says he’s ready to interview with the league, people close to the embattled wideout told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). However, a separate source told Fowler that the league “feels like it’s waiting on Brown.” This type of confusion is par for the course for this whole saga. Meanwhile, Fowler notes that Brown continues to train on his own in Florida.
- Dante Pettis was on the receiving end of a lot of hype this offseason, but the second-year pro hasn’t had the breakout campaign many were hoping for. The 49ers’ second-round pick last year, Pettis has been a bit of a disappointment. He’s been buried in San Francisco’s pecking order, and apparently he could be on the move. During a recent radio appearance, Sirius XM NFL Insider Adam Caplan said not to be surprised if the young receiver is traded at the deadline (Twitter link). There are a lot of teams in need of receiver help, and given Pettis’ age and the promise he flashed last season, the 49ers should be able to land a middle-round pick for him if they did decide to deal him. So far this season he has only nine catches for 83 yards and one touchdown.
- In case you missed it, multiple teams are in on Kenyan Drake.
I find it highly unlikely that there’s a better chance of Brady playing for another team than resigning with the Patriots. What would be his motivation in leaving after 20 years and 6 or 7 championships.
Proving he can do it without belichek… or going with McDaniels somewhere or he’s tired of the cold or etc etc…
Seeking new challenges. I agree with you and have some doubt that Brady leaves, but imo Brady seems to be the type of guy who is always looking for new challenges and to prove any doubters wrong. As BAINES03 suggested, maybe Brady wants to prove he can do it without Belichick. Or maybe Brady just wants a change of scenery. Not that there is a clear QB opening out there, but maybe he wants to move back to the West Coast since he’s from California.
Just because it’s highly unlikely doesn’t mean it’s not more likely than him playing for the pats. Two things can be true at once.
Schefter needs to STFU unless he has real credible evidence backing up his assertion. Otherwise he’s a tabloid Yahoo.
The most obvious fit outside NE for Brady is the Titans. They have a solid roster but abysmal QB play.
I think the Bears personally
It’s tough to overlook the fact that Mike Vrabel is the coach of the Titans too. They’d make some sense if he actually leaves the Patriots (which I’m still not convinced of).
“Schefter laid out the three possible options: Brady retiring, Brady returning to the Patriots in 2020, or Brady going to a new team.” Wow. You just can’t get reporting like that anywhere else.
Thank, God someone else realized how irrelevant that statement was. You could literally do that with every single player in the league.
Brady on a new team would be a curious turn. im sure he wouldnt be against trying it, though id presume he’d prefer to stay in NWE first and foremost.
Brady isn’t leaving the Patriots. They just bought a house in CT, closer to NYC for his wife and their kids’ new school.
Just a pipe dream for Schefter to be the one right.
This guy is a blowhard, how else can he remain on the morning circuit of shows, stay on tv, get paid and say nothing.
Brady would leave the pats if mcdaniels left. Brady has maybe 2/3 years left and a new offense and coordinator on a new team wouldn’t be worth it for him imo. If anything the pats do a fully guaranteed contract or a incentive deal(more for playing games) with maybe 20 mil guaranteed
Brady’s an institution in New England, but losing him when, by the beginning of next season, he’d be 43 wouldn’t be a crushing blow. Eventually the Pats will have to move on anyways.