Why Pro Bowl Safety Wasn’t Surprised To See Tom Brady Leave Patriots

Many were floored when Tom Brady decided to leave the New England Patriots after 20 seasons with the franchise.

Minkah Fitzpatrick, on the other hand, wasn’t very shocked.

While one could argue New England presented Brady with the best opportunity for success in the 2020 season (and beyond), the Pittsburgh Steelers safety believes the six-time Super Bowl champion was hungry for a new challenge.

“I honestly wasn’t surprised,” Fitzpatrick said Thursday on ESPN’s “First Take.” “I think Tom is a competitor and I think he kind of wanted to prove that he could go somewhere else and do it, you know what I’m saying? He’s a competitor. He’s one of the best — or probably the best — to do what he does. I just think he wanted to prove, not just to himself, but to the fan base and the world that he could go somewhere without the great coaching, without the great defense the Patriots had and still have the same success.”

While there’s a chance we’ll never discover the complete truth on why Brady decided to leave New England for Tampa Bay, one has to imagine the future Hall of Famer will be as motivated as ever as he embarks on his first season with the Buccaneers.

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