The conversation surrounding Tom Brady’s upcoming decision in free agency continues to consume the NFL’s 2020 offseason.
ESPN’s Max Kellerman even compared the New England Patriots quarterback’s free agency habits to those of Derek Jeter and Kobe Bryant at this stage of his career — and for good reason.
“Toward the end of their careers, Derek Jeter and Kobe — oh great franchise guys and everything — did everything they could behind the scenes, in front of the scenes, everything to bring pressure to bear on their teams to keep them right where they were — at a very high price point, too,” Kellerman said Monday on “First Take.” “Like that’s what happened. … The (New York) Yankees didn’t make the playoffs Jeter’s last season. Know why? Because they paid Derek Jeter and hit him second in the lineup and played him at shortstop and he wasn’t good enough anymore. And that was part of a three-year deal where he still got paid.
“Kobe … same thing. Was really paid as a top-notch player even when he was hurt and it was hard for him to get on the court and everything. And Kobe and Jeter behind the scenes did everything they could to bring pressure to bear. What happened last time when (Bill) Belichick was getting ready to move onto (Jimmy) Garoppolo? Whether or not it was that season, he was clearly grooming him. Tom Brady did an end-around Belichick and went to the owner and they bounced Garoppolo who was in the Super Bowl, by the way, this year.
“… So now the cupboard is bare for the Patriots, and Brady wants a commitment from Belichick, and Belichick won’t give it to him. So what’s he doing? Bringing public pressure to bear on the Patriots, which tells me he actually wants to stay. … He actually wants to stay, but he wants the Patriots to commit.”
There is no correct answer to what Brady is thinking right now.
That said, Kellerman makes a fair point.
