Patriots owner Robert Kraft should not be the only New England fan that wants Tom Brady to retire as a member of the organization.
Brady and the Patriots had a very noteworthy break up, of course. The then-six-time Super Bowl champion officially departed New England in March 2020 after two decades with the organization. He ended up playing the final three seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brady's departure from the organization parted Patriots fans into two major groups. There were many New England team-first defenders who wanted to see Bill Belichick and company raise another banner without Brady. That'll show him, they thought. Then there were the Brady-ites who wanted Belichick to flounder and the quarterback to flourish. A real Tom-over-team attitude, right? Well, they ultimately got what they wanted.
But now its over. Brady announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday morning. And while he has not yet signed a one-day contract like other professionals have before him, he still can. He still can officially retire as a member of the Patriots.
And that's what fans should want.
Sure, looking back, Brady probably never should have left. But the Patriots certainly deserve the majority -- if not all -- the blame for him doing so. They clearly miscalculated what Brady, who was set to enter his age-43 season, had left in the tank. He then led the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl in his first season and threw 43 touchdowns and 5,300 yards in his second campaign in the Sunshine State. And even in his age-45 season in 2022, Brady still looked like someone who could play the position at a respectable level. He finished third in the league in passing yards and first in passing attempts, after all. Again, it was a miscalculation and a contract Brady desired should have been given.
That's in the past, however. And fans should believe Brady's unparalleled success with the Patriots has overshadowed it now that his career is over. He's the greatest winner in the history of the sport, and greatest player in the history of the Patriots franchise. Not only did he take New England fans on six memorable Super Bowl runs, but he really delivered two decades of celebration.
Fans shouldn't forget those moments.
Fans should want Brady forever tied to the Patriots. And this is just one of the many ways the organization should do it.
