Richard Seymour was taken aback by Tom Brady’s free agency decision.
Not because he believes his former Patriots teammate did anything wrong by leaving New England to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But because he thought Brady and the Pats ultimately would agree to a new contract.
“I’ll say this, I thought it was unexpected,” Seymour said on the latest episode of NBC Sports Boston’s “The Michael Holley Podcast.” “I didn’t see it happening, but I’ll say this, Tom has earned that right. He’s a guy that’s always looking for new challenges, the ultimate competitor. I thought they would work it out and try to figure out a way to get it done, but it’s a business and he’s earned that right to test the market and see what’s out there and how other organizations are ran, that sort of thing.
“Any time you go somewhere new, it brings out a new challenge — new teammates, new coaches and a new system to learn. … I think he’s going to relish in that opportunity and I wish both of them well.”
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Seymour, who played eight seasons alongside Brady in New England (2001-08), earlier this week was elected to the Patriots Hall of Fame. The news prompted a congratulations from Brady, and Seymour’s comments in recent days suggest there’s no ill will between the former Pro Bowl defensive lineman and the Patriots organization despite Bill Belichick trading him to the Oakland Raiders before the 2009 season.
In fact, Seymour plans to continue rooting for both Brady and the Patriots moving forward. He sees no reason to choose between the two while enjoying retirement.
“Tom’s a lifelong friend. I’ve know him for 20-plus years, so you always want to see him succeed,” Seymour said. “Obviously, the Patriots drafted me and there’s always a ton of respect for them and the winning culture. I have love in my heart for both.”
Brady spent his first 20 seasons with the Patriots before joining the Bucs this offseason. He’ll leave behind an unmatched legacy that includes six Super Bowl titles, three of which he won alongside Seymour in the early 2000s.
