Tom Brady, the six-time Super Bowl champion, is headed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he announced via social media Tuesday that his reign in New England was over.
In a note titled “Forever A Patriot,” he said, “To all my teammates, coaches, executives and staff, Coach Belichick, RKK, and the Kraft family and the entire organization, I want to say thank you for the past twenty years of my life and the daily commitment to winning and creating a winning culture built on great values. I am grateful for all that you have taught me — I have learned from everyone.”
The 42-year old veteran stayed loyal to New England throughout his entire career, spending all 20 of his NFL seasons with the Patriots up until Tuesday. He’s earned six Super Bowl rings, been named to the Pro Bowl 14 times, and been given MVP honors three times in his 20-year run with the Patriots.
Brady was rumored to be headed to either the Chargers or the 49ers before the news broke. Chicago had also expressed interest as the Bears are in desperate need of a quarterback.
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Tampa Bay has a number of talented receivers on offense, from Mike Evans and Chris Godwin to O.J. Howard at tight end. It’s said to be one of the main reasons Brady had shown so much interest in Tampa Bay. Brady will definitely get to air the ball out more as the Buccaneers offense is already accustomed to a pass-first offense.
Rather than the dicey Jameis Winston calling the shots, the Buccaneers have arguably the best to ever play the game commanding the offense now in Tom Brady. Brady threw for 24 touchdowns and only eight interceptions in 2019, compared to Winston’s 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions.
According to the NFL Network, the Buccaneers organization and Brady have yet to bring pen to paper as all teams and players must wait until the free agency period starts at 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Sources close to Tampa Bay say the contract is worth $30 million over one or two years.
Moving Forward
When asked about Brady’s departure on Tuesday, New England head coach Bill Belichick said, “Tom was not just a player who bought into our program. He was one of its original creators. Tom lived and perpetuated our culture on a daily basis, he was a tone-setter and a bar raiser.
“He won championships in three of his first four years on the field and in three of his final six seasons with us, while competing for championships in most every season in between. This is a credit to Tom’s consistency and what separates him. He didn’t just perform. He didn’t just win. He won championships over and over again.”
Possible quarterback options for Belichick range from Andy Dalton to Nick Foles. It will undoubtedly be exciting to see how this turns out for both teams. Who’s Belichick going to take under his wing? Are the Buccaneers finally going to be good again? Get your popcorn ready, sports fans, because this is as exciting as it is going to get or a while.
