2020 TB12: The Decision 2020

[NortheasternPJ]

One thing that is difficult for me to understand is what the point of all this drama is, exactly. It would seem that TB's team is trying to create a lot of speculation about whether TB is going or staying - and in other situations, you would think that would be to try and maximize the contract he's going to be getting. But, in this particular context, I don't quite get it. This isn't baseball, where the sky is almost the limit with regards to what the Pats could offer him. Also, it's a classic "robbing Peter to pay Paul" type of situation where Brady could get a little bit more money, but that's going to come at the cost of offensive line/weapons/overall success - which I'm sure he understands, and shouldn't be that valuable to him.

What should be, and I imagine is, the most important thing for Brady is to continue to enhance/maintain his brand image. That is far more valuable to him than another $500,000 in salary. So, being on the Patriots (or any other team) and putting up lousy numbers, getting sacked all the time, and missing the playoffs would be complete stupidity for him. The idiots on the radio keep talking about "This is Brady's chance to finally get top dollar". That would be so incredibly stupid of him - and I don't think he's stupid. So, what is this all about, then? What is he trying to achieve with all this stuff?

This is basically the last few months of sports radio. You can make up a narrative to fit whatever you want.

I personally believe that Brady loves the marketing, his name in the news constantly, it’s good for TB12. If he leaves it’s because the market was huge for a 42 year old QB because TB12 is amazing. If he stays he’s the local hero and still does well by TB12.

There’s 0% chance in my mind that BB pays him $30m if he hits FA with $13.5m in dead money. This has nothing to do with football or the pats on Brady’s side and all about brand reputation.

 

[BaseballJones]

Someone who uses the 1990 season as a starting point IS a "young Patriots fan"

I've been a fan since the mid-70s. I'm not a young Patriots fan. Nor did I say that 1990 was the starting point. That just happens to be when the darkest days were for the organization. A 1-15 season and then two years later a 2-14 season? Yeah, doesn't get any worse than that.

 

[Fisks Of Fury]

Tony Eason sends his love.

That guy almost killed my grandfather. I remember visiting him in the hospital after he had a "minor" heart attack, and he'd convinced the nurses to let him watch the Pats game on the TV in his room. In no time at all, he was growling "the guy hears footsteps..." as Eason throws one panicked ball after another. Nurses notice his face getting red and, realizing their mistake, insist that they needed the TV off. I remember hating Eason from that day forward...

 

[nighthob]

In fairness to Eason that O-Line was so bad that the footsteps he heard were usually those of the defensive end waiting for him at the end of his seven step drop.

 

[nattysez]

Interesting take from Tim Kawakami in the Athletic. He says Brady likely isn't going anywhere, but that it makes sense for the Raiders to make him a Godfather offer.

There’s really not much for Gruden and Mayock to lose here. The Raiders are moving to a new city with a very expensive, powerful and offensive-minded coach, are about to dive into a huge new splash of revenue, and the whole endeavor would only be enhanced by everything Brady brings. There is nothing about wooing Brady that would be a problem for the Raiders, and I think they might be the only team on his potential shortlist that can say that. Basically, they can make him the best offer with no strings attached.

The Raiders don’t have a loaded roster that demands salary-cap frugality, so they can pay Brady more than anybody without much of a blink.

They don’t have a sheepish front office that avoids big risks and big swings, so if Brady opts for another team, that’s just the way it goes. And if he signs with the Raiders, well, they’re used to some locker-room tumult, aren’t they?

They don’t have a recent history of winning … anything.

They also don’t have much emotional or financial capital committed to their current QB, even if Gruden and Mayock said some nice things about Derek Carr a few days ago at the NFL Scouting Combine.

https://theathletic.com/1644920/2020/02/29/kawakami-if-youre-the-raiders-heres-the-best-way-to-pitch-tom-brady/?amp#click=[URL]https://t.co/qqFJH0ZYRL[/URL]

 

[bigq]

In fairness to Eason that O-Line was so bad that the footsteps he heard were usually those of the defensive end waiting for him at the end of his seven step drop.

I would have been scared too. He got sacked 59 times in 13 starts during the 1984 season.

I actually liked the guy. He brought them to the franchise’s first Super Bowl which was quite an accomplishment just a few short season after painful 2-14 Erhardt led debacle. He definitely took a lot of sacks though.

 

[tims4wins]

My earliest memories of the Pats is Bledsoe’s tour de force game against Minnesota. So I only know Bledsoe and Brady.

Yeah I was 13 in 1994. That was the season I got hooked.

 

[bigq]

My earliest memories of the team was the 1981 season when Tony Dorsett, Franco Harris, Joe Cribbs and Freeman McNeil were running wild all over the Patriots’ defense. The Patriots gave up more than 200 yards rushing to their opponents in five straight weeks to start the season en route to a 2-14 record. That team really sucked but somehow they hooked me anyway.

 

[Bernie Carbohydrate]

It’d be harder if you had to first suffer Hugh Millen, trust me.

Let me tell about a man named Marc Wilson....

 

[Ferm Sheller]

My earliest memories of the Pats is Bledsoe’s tour de force game against Minnesota. So I only know Bledsoe and Brady.

Imagine any one of Miami’s QBs during that stretch in a Pat Patriot helmet and you’ll catch our drift.

 

[RedOctober3829]

Imagine any one of Miami’s QBs during that stretch in a Pat Patriot helmet and you’ll catch our drift.

It's the football equivalent of watching the Celtics with Rick Pitino.

 

[jose melendez]

I want to be clear--things were so bad, that I, and many others, were convinced that Hugh Millen was good.

It was that bad.

 

[tims4wins]

Curran: last week was an overreaction. (Shocker!)

View: https://twitter.com/nbcsboston/status/1234318776704946176?s=21

 

[Nator]

I want to be clear--things were so bad, that I, and many others, were convinced that Hugh Millen was good.

It was that bad.

That was the "Well, at least Vincent Brown got 11 tackles!" era.

 

[Van Everyman]

The Undertaker! Nicknames helped.

 

[DJnVa]

L.O.L.

https://nesn.com/2020/03/nfl-rumors-tom-brady-antonio-brown-in-consistent-contact-amid-uncertain-futures/

 

[tims4wins]

L.O.L.

https://nesn.com/2020/03/nfl-rumors-tom-brady-antonio-brown-in-consistent-contact-amid-uncertain-futures/

Exactly. These rumors are all so dumb. AB is going to have to miss at least a quarter of the season if not more. If Brady was pissed at how unreliable his receiving corps was in 2019, then playing with AB in 2020 won't help.

 

[joe dokes]

In fairness to Eason that O-Line was so bad that the footsteps he heard were usually those of the defensive end waiting for him at the end of his seven step drop.

I was at the 1984 game vs. Seattle (featuring the corpse of Franco Harris) when cheers could be heard as Eason replaced a probably-groggy and definitely-ineffective Grogan (0-4; 3 sacks and a pick-6) when the Patriots were down 23-0. Final NE 38-Sea 23.

Eason was pretty good that year, and got sacked 59(!) times.

 

[BaseballJones]

Tony Eason
1984 - 60.1%, 3,228 yards, 23 td, 8 int, 93.4 rating - which at the time was REALLY good
1985 - 56.2%, 2,156 yards, 11 td, 17 int, 67.5 rating
1986 - 61.6%, 3,328 yards, 19 td, 10 int, 89.2 rating

Here's the interesting thing. He was really good in 1984. In 1985 he was bad, and obviously the Super Bowl was career-defining for him. The Bears absolutely destroyed the poor guy. I would have thought that that would have done him in for good. Like having a massive case of PTSD the next season whenever a defender got anywhere near him.

But he had a really good 1986.

#4 in passer rating (89.2) - Tommy Kramer was #1 at 92.6, Marino was at 92.5
#4 in completion % (61.6) - Eric Hipple was #1 at 63.0, Montana was at 62.2
#9 in passing TD (19) - Marino was #1 at 44 (!!!), next best was O'Brien at 25 (huge gap), Elway had 19
#2 in int % (2.2%) - Kosar was #1 at 1.9, Montana was 2.9

Long story short, for the era in which he was playing, Eason put up a really, really nice 1986 season following the absolute destruction he suffered at the hands of the Bears.

At his best, he was a pretty good NFL quarterback, as hard as that is to believe.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Breer laid waste to a forest of bandwidth trees today to say that TB12 and BB have to talk before some decision can be made. And that it's holding up everything else. And that it will impact the other moves the Patriots make. And that he gives the Titans and Patriots each 40% chances to sign Brady, but that he really doesn't know ... except that he says the Colts are out.

Only thing I learned is that I shouldn't have bothered reading it

 

[lexrageorge]

Tony Eason
1984 - 60.1%, 3,228 yards, 23 td, 8 int, 93.4 rating - which at the time was REALLY good
1985 - 56.2%, 2,156 yards, 11 td, 17 int, 67.5 rating
1986 - 61.6%, 3,328 yards, 19 td, 10 int, 89.2 rating

Here's the interesting thing. He was really good in 1984. In 1985 he was bad, and obviously the Super Bowl was career-defining for him. The Bears absolutely destroyed the poor guy. I would have thought that that would have done him in for good. Like having a massive case of PTSD the next season whenever a defender got anywhere near him.

But he had a really good 1986.

#4 in passer rating (89.2) - Tommy Kramer was #1 at 92.6, Marino was at 92.5
#4 in completion % (61.6) - Eric Hipple was #1 at 63.0, Montana was at 62.2
#9 in passing TD (19) - Marino was #1 at 44 (!!!), next best was O'Brien at 25 (huge gap), Elway had 19
#2 in int % (2.2%) - Kosar was #1 at 1.9, Montana was 2.9

Long story short, for the era in which he was playing, Eason put up a really, really nice 1986 season following the absolute destruction he suffered at the hands of the Bears.

At his best, he was a pretty good NFL quarterback, as hard as that is to believe.

He had injuries to his throwing shoulder after the 1986 season; I also recall something about his back as well.

 

[nighthob]

In the mid 80s the Patriots let their QBs get used for target practice. It was a miracle that they made the ‘86 Super Bowl.

 

[RedOctober3829]

NFL Network got their hands on enhanced audio from Brady at the Carrier Dome.

View: https://twitter.com/AndrewSiciliano/status/1234541884497788929

 

[tims4wins]

NFL Network got their hands on enhanced audio from Brady at the Carrier Dome.

View: https://twitter.com/AndrewSiciliano/status/1234541884497788929

Tweet deleted

 

[jsinger121]

Tony Eason
1984 - 60.1%, 3,228 yards, 23 td, 8 int, 93.4 rating - which at the time was REALLY good
1985 - 56.2%, 2,156 yards, 11 td, 17 int, 67.5 rating
1986 - 61.6%, 3,328 yards, 19 td, 10 int, 89.2 rating

Here's the interesting thing. He was really good in 1984. In 1985 he was bad, and obviously the Super Bowl was career-defining for him. The Bears absolutely destroyed the poor guy. I would have thought that that would have done him in for good. Like having a massive case of PTSD the next season whenever a defender got anywhere near him.

But he had a really good 1986.

#4 in passer rating (89.2) - Tommy Kramer was #1 at 92.6, Marino was at 92.5
#4 in completion % (61.6) - Eric Hipple was #1 at 63.0, Montana was at 62.2
#9 in passing TD (19) - Marino was #1 at 44 (!!!), next best was O'Brien at 25 (huge gap), Elway had 19
#2 in int % (2.2%) - Kosar was #1 at 1.9, Montana was 2.9

Long story short, for the era in which he was playing, Eason put up a really, really nice 1986 season following the absolute destruction he suffered at the hands of the Bears.

At his best, he was a pretty good NFL quarterback, as hard as that is to believe.

Eason was also sacked 59 times in 1984 and then another 43 in 1986. He wasn't a very good QB. He wore a skirt like John Hannah.

 

[DJnVa]

NFL Network got their hands on enhanced audio from Brady at the Carrier Dome.

View: https://twitter.com/AndrewSiciliano/status/1234541884497788929

Gone, what was it?

 

[steveluck7]

For those who didn't see / hear the video.
NFL network got the audio from the scene @ 'Cuse.
Edelman says "He's coming back, he's coming back."
Jimmy Fallon (yes, he was there with them, if you haven't seen) talks about how good their seats are
3rd party asks Brady what he said to Boeheim
Brady says "he's got it."

That's the whole thing. Brady wasn't even responding to Julian.

They've played it roughly 300 times on 98.5 in the last hour

 

[Ferm Sheller]

I was at the 1984 game vs. Seattle (featuring the corpse of Franco Harris) when cheers could be heard as Eason replaced a probably-groggy and definitely-ineffective Grogan (0-4; 3 sacks and a pick-6) when the Patriots were down 23-0. Final NE 38-Sea 23.

Eason was pretty good that year, and got sacked 59(!) times.

I remember that game. When it was 23-0, one of the announcers said something to the effect of “Oh my God, what a blowout” just prior to a commercial thinking that they’d left the air. I’m glad he stayed until the end.

 

[nighthob]

Eason was also sacked 59 times in 1984 and then another 43 in 1986. He wasn't a very good QB. He wore a skirt like John Hannah.

The Patriots OL was handing out sacks like Halloween candy before Eason ever arrived, was it his psychic “skirt wearing” that was responsible in 1980-83? Or after he left? (Hint, that O-Line sucked like a Russian stripper.)

 

[Marciano490]

For those who didn't see / hear the video.
NFL network got the audio from the scene @ 'Cuse.
Edelman says "He's coming back, he's coming back."
Jimmy Fallon (yes, he was there with them, if you haven't seen) talks about how good their seats are
3rd party asks Brady what he said to Boeheim
Brady says "he's got it."

That's the whole thing. Brady wasn't even responding to Julian.

They've played it roughly 300 times on 98.5 in the last hour

Fever Pitch 2 sounds worse than the original.

 

[brandonchristensen]

I dunno, I heard Yanny

 

[SMU_Sox]

I dunno, I heard Yanny

Winner.

For the record the correct name is neither Yanny nor Laurel but Karen. (My Greek name is Yanni)

 

[RedOctober3829]

Curran thinks SF may be a real possibility for the landing spot of TB12. I've been saying this for a couple months now that it makes sense for both sides.

View: https://twitter.com/MadDogRadio/status/1234938751459250177

 

[DJnVa]

Curran thinks SF may be a real possibility for the landing spot of TB12. I've been saying this for a couple months now that it makes sense for both sides.

View: https://twitter.com/MadDogRadio/status/1234938751459250177

He starts saying 50/50, NE or Tennessee. Then mentions Niners, and says that Brady goes there and JG back here? He's framing it like this is why the Pats didn't get huge return for JG, that this was essentially a long con. Come on.

He also goes "I think, I think they Niners can release JG..." It all sounds like clickbait. (Yes, I know they can, but Curran didn't really sound sure. This strikes me as someone writing something that could theoretically happen and would be "cool", but that's it.

Good on you for jumping on this early, but it still seems really far-fetched to me.

 

[nattysez]

Curran is making the rounds today. Russillo just posted a podcast interview with him on YT (haven't been able to watch it yet).

View: https://youtu.be/b08az5cYVwI

 

[RedOctober3829]

Karen Guregian is hearing the same about the Niners and she is not one to put something out there just for clicks. Full disclosure for her, she has long been close to the Brady camp.

"Tom Brady to the 49ers. Jimmy Garoppolo back to the Patriots. Talk about a whopper.
There’s been growing speculation this fantasy scenario could happen, with the buzz hitting a fever pitch on Tuesday thanks to all types of reporting and conjecture from multiple outlets.
Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston said during a SiriusXM NFL radio interview he thought the 49ers were “closing hard on the outside.”
What do my sources say? Curran “might be onto something.”

Translation?
Forget good friend Mike Vrabel and the Titans for a minute. If the Niners’ interest is mutual and real, which appears the case on both sides, they are the greatest threat to lure Brady away from New England."

https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/03/03/could-tom-brady-and-jimmy-garoppolo-trade-places-dont-discount-the-49ers-buzz/

 

[54thMA]

Let me tell about a man named Marc Wilson....

I along with five of my friends had season tickets when he was the QB; we hung a "Marc Wilson fan club" sign up in a corner of the stadium surrounded by then empty seats, Shank wrote about it the next day in the Globe.

My first memory? 1968 vs the Oilers, they lost 16-0, but I'll never forget walking up a ramp to the stands at Fenway and seeing the huge section of seats up against the green monster, it was spectacular to see as a 7 year old. Watching the Patriots come out of the dugout with the Pat Patriot on their helmets was tremendous, I'll never forget it.

Any time they were on TV was a treat for me as a kid, we were force fed the Giants back in those days every Sunday, like I gave a shit about them.

In 1974 they started out 6-1, I remember the game they won in Minnesota when Bob Windsor tore up his knee scoring the go ahead TD, they finished 7-7, then 3-11, then the magical year of 1976, Grogan setting a record for most rushing TD's for a QB, I fell in love with that team, that Raiders playoff game...…...…...….I'll NEVER get over that screw job, fuck you Ben Dreith.

Myself and a bunch of my friends went to Miami to see the Squish the Fish game; shit on Tony Eason all you want, but he was very good in that game, actually very good in that playoff run until the Super Bowl where he ran for his life until he tapped out and Grogan came in for him.

I was thrilled the Patriots finally got to a Super Bowl, then again vs the Packers, all I ever wanted was for them to win one and to date, they've won six, just incredible............................but yeah, they've had some horrible QB's in my lifetime.

As far as Brady; been a joy to watch him play, the greatest of all time, if he leaves, so be it......................players come, players go, my love for the team goes on, it was there before Brady, it will be there long after he's gone.

 

[DJnVa]

I mean, we'll see, but if JG ends up on the market, I doubt he comes back here. Others can offer more.

He is one I wouldn't mind paying if they don't think Stidham is going to work out.

 

[E5 Yaz]

I mean, we'll see, but the if JG ends up on the market, I doubt he comes back here. Others can offer more.

Unless it's a trade? Don't know, just asking

 

[DJnVa]

Unless it's a trade? Don't know, just asking

I guess. But part of Curran's thinking is they can cut JG at no cost. I guess that applies to a trade too, but his cap cost this season is like $26M--that plus Brady's cap hit is A LOT. I'm all for creative solutions, but this seems too cute by half.

If there's a way it can work, I'm sure Brady would help out by signing here for the trade. But him signing here to spread out that cap hit--wouldn't that go away if he's traded?

 

[nattysez]

Unless it's a trade? Don't know, just asking

Jimmy's scheduled to make ~$24m a year for the next three years. No way BB is paying $37m for Jimmy + Brady's dead money in 2020. I'm more and more convinced they roll with Stidham if Brady leaves with a lottery ticket make-good signing like Mariota brought in to compete.

 

[Marciano490]

I guess. But part of Curran's thinking is they can cut JG at no cost. I guess that applies to a trade too, but his cap cost this season is like $26M--that plus Brady's cap hit is A LOT. I'm all for creative solutions, but this seems too cute by half.

If there's a way it can work, I'm sure Brady would help out by signing here for the trade. But him signing here to spread out that cap hit--wouldn't that go away if he's traded?

What’re the handsome cap implications? Would we have to cut Edelman?

 

[gryoung]

I along with five of my friends had season tickets when he was the QB; we hung a "Marc Wilson fan club" sign up in a corner of the stadium surrounded by then empty seats, Shank wrote about it the next day in the Globe.

My first memory? 1968 vs the Oilers, they lost 16-0, but I'll never forget walking up a ramp to the stands at Fenway and seeing the huge section of seats up against the green monster, it was spectacular to see as a 7 year old. Watching the Patriots come out of the dugout with the Pat Patriot on their helmets was tremendous, I'll never forget it.

Any time they were on TV was a treat for me as a kid, we were force fed the Giants back in those days every Sunday, like I gave a shit about them.

In 1974 they started out 6-1, I remember the game they won in Minnesota when Bob Windsor tore up his knee scoring the go ahead TD, they finished 7-7, then 3-11, then the magical year of 1976, Grogan setting a record for most rushing TD's for a QB, I fell in love with that team, that Raiders playoff game...…...…...….I'll NEVER get over that screw job, fuck you Ben Dreith.

Myself and a bunch of my friends went to Miami to see the Squish the Fish game; shit on Tony Eason all you want, but he was very good in that game, actually very good in that playoff run until the Super Bowl where he ran for his life until he tapped out and Grogan came in for him.

I was thrilled the Patriots finally got to a Super Bowl, then again vs the Packers, all I ever wanted was for them to win one and to date, they've won six, just incredible............................but yeah, they've had some horrible QB's in my lifetime.

As far as Brady; been a joy to watch him play, the greatest of all time, if he leaves, so be it......................players come, players go, my love for the team goes on, it was there before Brady, it will be there long after he's gone.

This pretty much sums it up for me as well. From watching them play at BC. From watching an unheralded rookie named Carl Garrett beat out OJ for ROY. From being at Schaefer Stadium for that famous first game when the toilets backed up.

I’m looking forward to a reset. Let’s go!!!

 

[Shaky Walton]

I along with five of my friends had season tickets when he was the QB; we hung a "Marc Wilson fan club" sign up in a corner of the stadium surrounded by then empty seats, Shank wrote about it the next day in the Globe.

My first memory? 1968 vs the Oilers, they lost 16-0, but I'll never forget walking up a ramp to the stands at Fenway and seeing the huge section of seats up against the green monster, it was spectacular to see as a 7 year old. Watching the Patriots come out of the dugout with the Pat Patriot on their helmets was tremendous, I'll never forget it.

Any time they were on TV was a treat for me as a kid, we were force fed the Giants back in those days every Sunday, like I gave a shit about them.

In 1974 they started out 6-1, I remember the game they won in Minnesota when Bob Windsor tore up his knee scoring the go ahead TD, they finished 7-7, then 3-11, then the magical year of 1976, Grogan setting a record for most rushing TD's for a QB, I fell in love with that team, that Raiders playoff game...…...…...….I'll NEVER get over that screw job, fuck you Ben Dreith.

Myself and a bunch of my friends went to Miami to see the Squish the Fish game; shit on Tony Eason all you want, but he was very good in that game, actually very good in that playoff run until the Super Bowl where he ran for his life until he tapped out and Grogan came in for him.

I was thrilled the Patriots finally got to a Super Bowl, then again vs the Packers, all I ever wanted was for them to win one and to date, they've won six, just incredible............................but yeah, they've had some horrible QB's in my lifetime.

As far as Brady; been a joy to watch him play, the greatest of all time, if he leaves, so be it......................players come, players go, my love for the team goes on, it was there before Brady, it will be there long after he's gone.

Late reply but I enjoyed this post and share a lot of these experiences. I'm a little behind you but still old enough to hope that really bad things happen to Ben Dreith, permanently and severely. The '76 Pats are in some ways my favorite team ever.

Like you, I root for the laundry. The Pats are my team; not any player or coach. If Tom goes, I will root for the Patriots only, and hope they crush his team unmercifully if and when they play them.

All that said, I will not move on so easily if Tom leaves. I've been trying to figure out why I feel this way. I grew up with Bobby Orr, Larry Bird and David Ortiz. All were mythical figures. When Bobby went to the Black Hawks, it was horrific.

I think, however, there are two key Brady distinctions. One, he's been the QB and star of a team that has been the target of a lot of nonsense. I think I've developed an almost parental level of love and protection for a team and star who I feel has been unfairly maligned over the years. Two, and more fundamentally, Tom has won multiple titles in really two different eras. The other three stars won two or three titles apiece, but six is a whole different level, and only Tom won back to back titles.

Anyway, I'm not at all ready for a re-set. If it comes, it comes, and I will continue to love the Pats. But this will hurt a lot.

Last: the Jimmy G thing is intriguing. He feels like a good buy right now after that regrettable fourth quarter and missed bomb. If Tom goes (which is the last thing I want), I can't think of any available option I would prefer to Jimmy.

 

[Van Everyman]

Can capologists fill me in here:

Is there any NFL equivalent of a sign-and-trade that would mitigate Brady's $13M dead money/cap hit if they swung a deal for Jimmy?

 

[54thMA]

This pretty much sums it up for me as well. From watching them play at BC. From watching an unheralded rookie named Carl Garrett beat out OJ for ROY. From being at Schaefer Stadium for that famous first game when the toilets backed up.

I’m looking forward to a reset. Let’s go!!!

My God what a dump Schaefer Stadium was, there were better college and high school stadiums, those bench seats were comical. In December when it was cold and everyone had heavy jackets on, you'd be packed in like sardines and if you got up to use the facilities/go to the concession stand, your "seat" would literally disappear.

 

[Average Game James]

Can capologists fill me in here:

Is there any NFL equivalent of a sign-and-trade that would mitigate Brady's $13M dead money/cap hit if they swung a deal for Jimmy?

No

 

[BaseballJones]

Jimmy's scheduled to make ~$24m a year for the next three years. No way BB is paying $37m for Jimmy + Brady's dead money in 2020. I'm more and more convinced they roll with Stidham if Brady leaves with a lottery ticket make-good signing like Mariota brought in to compete.

The Pats might do it IF they could extend JG for a few more years at lower money but with some bonuses so that JG gets a little security. They might live with the pain that would cause in 2020 if it gave them what they feel is absolutely the right QB for the next 5-6 years at reasonable money.

 

[54thMA]

Late reply but I enjoyed this post and share a lot of these experiences. I'm a little behind you but still old enough to hope that really bad things happen to Ben Dreith, permanently and severely. The '76 Pats are in some ways my favorite team ever.

Like you, I root for the laundry. The Pats are my team; not any player or coach. If Tom goes, I will root for the Patriots only, and hope they crush his team unmercifully if and when they play them.

All that said, I will not move on so easily if Tom leaves. I've been trying to figure out why I feel this way. I grew up with Bobby Orr, Larry Bird and David Ortiz. All were mythical figures. When Bobby went to the Black Hawks, it was horrific.

I think, however, there are two key Brady distinctions. One, he's been the QB and star of a team that has been the target of a lot of nonsense. I think I've developed an almost parental level of love and protection for a team and star who I feel has been unfairly maligned over the years. Two, and more fundamentally, Tom has won multiple titles in really two different eras. The other three stars won two or three titles apiece, but six is a whole different level, and only Tom won back to back titles.

Anyway, I'm not at all ready for a re-set. If it comes, it comes, and I will continue to love the Pats. But this will hurt a lot.

Last: the Jimmy G thing is intriguing. He feels like a good buy right now after that regrettable fourth quarter and missed bomb. If Tom goes (which is the last thing I want), I can't think of any available option I would prefer to Jimmy.

Agreed; that 1976 team was stacked, that should have been the first Super Bowl winning Patriots team, they would have beaten a wounded Steelers team and then rolled the Vikings, man oh man did they get screwed out of a championship.

The 1978 team was very good too, but the Fairbanks fiasco torpedoed that team.

Considering where they came from and all the buffoonery from 1960 through 2000 for the most part, the past 20 years have been incredible.

My best friend has twin boys in their early 20's, they know nothing but success and have no clue about what came before them.................unreal.

 

[Harry Hooper]

Jimmy's scheduled to make ~$24m a year for the next three years. No way BB is paying $37m for Jimmy + Brady's dead money in 2020. I'm more and more convinced they roll with Stidham if Brady leaves with a lottery ticket make-good signing like Mariota brought in to compete.

Maybe a reprise of the JimmyG trade, with Brady in the JimmyG role and JimmyG in the Hoyer role?