Tom Brady is as intelligent as they come on the gridiron.
He’s no dummy off the field, either.
Pat McAfee, a former NFL punter-turned-analyst, explained Monday on ESPN’s “Get Up” that the New England Patriots quarterback has orchestrated his first-ever trip to free agency with amazing precision. Brady might have regressed in 2019, but the 42-year-old almost certainly will have several options this offseason should he decide to leave the only franchise he’s ever known.
“I think Tom Brady has played this season perfectly. He has maestroed this thing. Every single word that he said — even going back to postgame press conferences after games this season — has been completely cerebral,” McAfee said. “He asked out of his contract after 20 years, says he wants to control his destiny.”
Brady’s future has never been less certain, as the six-time Super Bowl champion even acknowledged Sunday he’s “open-minded” with regards to this offseason. While it’s hard to imagine Brady wearing a different uniform, it appears there’s a real chance he could sign elsewhere in the coming months. At the very least, the Patriots figure to have stiff competition for his services.
Perhaps the Oakland (soon-to-be Las Vegas) Raiders will factor into that competition, even though they currently employee a competent quarterback in Derek Carr. That certainly was the buzz Saturday night when Brady crossed paths with Raiders owner Mark Davis at UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“Anything he does is gonna garner conversation. Now, much to the chagrin of Patriots fans, him talking to Mark Davis — and I had some inside sources who were at the fight watching ol’ Conor McGregor beat the hell out of Cowboy Cerrone (at UFC 246), but they said those two were talking for like 20 minutes or so,” McAfee said. “And I’m not sure what the conversation could’ve been about. Could it have been about a new barber for Mark Davis? Maybe. Could it have been about how the Raiders have operated? Possibly. But I think the much more likely thing is Mark Davis catching a little temperature on what Tom Brady’s feeling, how he’s thinking. And are the Raiders a potential home for him? New city, new franchise, new stadium. (Raiders coach) Jon Gruden would absolutely love and relish that opportunity. Is Tom Brady the perfect fit for the Raiders? I don’t think so. But I think the Raiders would very much welcome the opportunity to have the GOAT on their team.”
Brady, who has spent his entire 20-year career in New England, recently expressed love for the Patriots, and it’s no secret team owner Robert Kraft considers the veteran signal-caller to be like another son. But there was a report Brady won’t accept a hometown discount to stick around in Foxboro after years of signing team-friendly deals, so perhaps he’ll visit other franchises in the hopes of gaining some leverage in negotiations with the Patriots.
