Much has been made of Tom Brady’s new contract with the New England Patriots.
While the deal technically qualifies as an “extension” that runs through 2021, the final two years of the contract reportedly void on the final day of the 2019 league year, causing some to wonder whether Brady will retire after this season or if the quarterback could wind up playing for a team other than the Patriots.
Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi, who once worked alongside head coach Bill Belichick in New England, has no such questions, though, for he believes Brady definitely will finish his career with the Patriots.
Here’s what Lombardi wrote in a piece published Thursday on The Athletic:
Tom Brady being on a year-to-year deal is a non-story. Seriously, do you believe Brady will ever play for another team besides the Patriots? Of course not. Look, I am a big conspiracy theory guy: I don’t think Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, but I don’t believe that Brady selling his home indicates anything. Brady at 42 years old is in “uncharted territory,” as he himself called it, for any NFL quarterback. Who knows if anyone can play at 42 or beyond, and to set a market for the unknown is not smart for anyone. Brady will always be a Patriot. That I do know.
Things could change over the next few months, ultimately leading to Brady’s departure. After all, he’ll be a free agent next offseason — even if only for a minute — for the first time in his illustrious career, opening the door for him to leave if his relationship with the Patriots sours. But it’s obviously hard to imagine Brady suiting up for anyone besides New England, especially given how close he is with Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
That said, expect the speculation to continue. Brady, who just turned 42, is the greatest quarterback in NFL history, and teams across the league undoubtedly would salivate at the opportunity to pry the six-time Super Bowl champion away from Foxboro.
