As the 2016 NFL seasons draws closer, the New England Patriots still don’t know if they will have Tom Brady for the first four games. And, according to at least one NFL columnist, that might end up being a blessing for the Pats.
We won’t bore you with details about Deflategate, and neither does Brad Gagnon in his latest column for Bleacher Report. But perhaps the more interesting part of this ongoing saga is what happens if Brady ever is suspended for four games. Gagnon even gives four reasons why such an occurrence “could act as a blessing in disguise.”
His first reason is “don’t poke the bear twice.” This one means exactly what you think, Boston Bruins fans. Brady wasn’t suspended last season, and the Patriots got off to a 10-0 start. The NFL poked the bear, and the bear didn’t like it. If he ends up being suspended, expect the Patriots’ motivation to reach an all-time high.
But while the Patriots got off to a blistering start in 2015, Gagnon points out they eventually faded down the stretch. So maybe a four-game rest could help the 38-year-old?
Gagnon’s third reason is perhaps the most intriguing of all. Brady won’t play in the NFL forever, no matter how much avocado ice cream he eats, so New England eventually needs to find his replacement. So a suspension would let the Patriots take a good, hard look at Jimmy Garoppolo to see if he is the quarterback of the future.
His last point, no matter what Eric Decker says, is history suggests the Patriots will do just fine in the AFC East, with or without Brady under center for four games.
Click to read Gagnon’s column on Brady and Deflategate >>
Thumbnail photo via Winslow Townson/USA TODAY Sports Images
