Tom Brady and the Patriots reportedly were in touch as the future Hall of Fame quarterback entered NFL free agency for the first time in his storied career.
But according to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, it wasn't long into those conversations when Brady knew his New England departure was on the horizon.
In a column published Sunday morning, roughly 15 hours before the highly anticipated Bucs-Patriots matchup at Gillette Stadium, Rapoport revealed how close Bill Belichick and Co. were to retaining the best player in the franchise's history.
"Not very close," Rapoport wrote. "Talks between Brady and New England simply didn't work out, as the two sides were not able to reach a resolution. There may not have been an official, written offer, but the team was willing to go where the Bucs did -- up to $30 million per year. They made it clear in conversations what they would offer and how far they would go. What they were not willing to do was guarantee two years fully as Tampa did. Brady knew that when he arrived at (Robert) Kraft's house to say goodbye, which is why there was no breakdown of negotiations or acrimony. It was simple and black and white: the Patriots would only guarantee one year, while other teams were willing to guarantee two."
Of course, it all worked out for Brady. He led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV title in his first season under center in Tampa Bay. New England, meanwhile, went 7-9 in its first post-Brady campaign and now are hoping Mac Jones is the franchise QB of the future.
