Tom Brady has seen some of his best friends cut, traded and not re-signed by the New England Patriots over the years, and the quarterback acknowledged that some day he might have to play for another NFL team, as well.
After All-Pro captain guard Logan Mankins was traded by the Patriots to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, Westwood One’s Jim Gray asked Brady if he’s ever worried that he’ll be next.
“I don’t think I worry about it,” Brady said Thursday night. “I think I understand that it’s part of the business, and I need to continue to find ways in the offseason to make sure that the team does want me. If there ever comes a time where the team doesn’t, maybe there’s another team that will.
“I really try to work hard – first of all because I love the game, and I love to work hard at it, but secondly, I want to be in this place for as long as I possibly can. Part of training for the football season — I always have long-term goals in mind, and that’s to be the best player I can be for the team I’m playing for. There’s no other team I’d rather play for than the Patriots.”
That last line should reassure Patriots fans, but just the thought of Brady in another uniform might send them into shock.
Brady is signed through 2017, but he has a base salary of just $7 million next season, leading some to speculate that another restructured contract could be in his future. The Patriots also just drafted quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft and had enough confidence in him to trade backup Ryan Mallett and make the rookie No. 2 on the depth chart behind Brady.
