Gone Brady Gone

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hunter05

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May 29, 2006
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Does this seem strange to anyone else - essentially closing that door before completely walking through the threshold of another? Perhaps it's true, as there hasn't been reports of definitive destination/term info as of yet, but still weird to me...
Who knows and I don’t trust any reporting about what goes on behind the scenes with this team. I’d bet the likely answer is that Brady knows the Patriots arent going to pay him anything near what he wants and/or what he’s being offered. I’m also betting that Belichick is ready to move on, as tough a pill that might be to swallow.
 

j44thor

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Aug 1, 2006
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Does this seem strange to anyone else - essentially closing that door before completely walking through the threshold of another? Perhaps it's true, as there hasn't been reports of definitive destination/term info as of yet, but still weird to me...
I think Brady wanted to get in front of this and let the fans know he was done in NE before twitter rumors start flying all over the place.
No better way to announce you are out than on your own IG page if you are Brady.
 
Aug 20, 2017
2,085
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Does this seem strange to anyone else - essentially closing that door before completely walking through the threshold of another? Perhaps it's true, as there hasn't been reports of definitive destination/term info as of yet, but still weird to me...
Yee has been a busted pipe all off season. This was always going to be on the pats.

Gotta love the dont bash Brady takes, followed by, BB has to prove himself as a coach now. Hot takes indeed.
 

JokersWildJIMED

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As everyone else, I am sad to see Brady leave...there are some guys that teams are just willing to run to the ground,, long past their value, i.e. Kobe, Jeter, often to the detriment of the team's future. You always knew that was unlikely to happen in this instance. That is/was the risk for both BB and Brady. Brady was always going to be loved in New England, but wherever he goes the boos that he has heard for the last 19 years will turn to adulation, however, that could turn ugly if Brady's performance drops off as the season progresses.
 

RG33

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Well, I randomly got two season tickets to the Chargers for the new stadium, so please let it be them!
 

tmracht

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I can't blame the team or Brady, it's a really damn tough spot. If he's really getting 30+ million, and wants the cash can't blame him. The Pats don't have nearly the right amount of cap space to make a deal like that. He would have needed to been willing to take a huge discount again. Can't blame him for not when the WR will be in flux again and they just had to lose half the linebacking core for cap reasons. He's been a staple in my life since college, he gave my son a championship at like a week old. He's the best and it sucks he's gone, but he's still TB12 no matter where and when.
 

Dr. Gonzo

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Has Michael Lombardi chimed in yet? That would be the closest to having anything from Bill.
 

Ale Xander

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Chargers seem to make the most sense on many levels here. Gets him close to family, gets Gisele to LA, and a team that has some talent
I heard that Gisele hates LA. But I also know that LA has 28652946294759 yoga studios. So who knows.
 

Caspir

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You spoiled fucks....

Time to find out who the real Patriots fans are
Poor you. True fan that you are. My first games were on metal benches watching shit QBs in the freezing cold, so really go fuck yourself. I won';t be paying $250 a ticket for that privilege only with seats instead of bleachers. I've also said for a few years that watching has given me a mixed/shitty feeling because of what is happening to player's brains. This makes a nice easy transition time. But you win for like, realest fan, or something. Pick up your free app at the bar during your next visit.
 

Van Everyman

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Going back: it’s always been really interesting to me that they elected to give him a deal that allowed him to hit free agency. They never played hardball with Tom despite the fact that the league allows them to.
 

Ralphwiggum

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This fucking sucks. It's a business but I feel like my dog died. I never believed that he would go. That's on me. Wow, 2020 is such a fucking horrible year. I don't think I have ever loved an athlete like I love TB12.
This is pretty much where I am. Understand that it’s a business and maybe it makes the most sense from all perspectives but it sucks and deep down I never believed it would happen.
 

BaseballJones

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Going back: it’s always been really interesting to me that they elected to give him a deal that allowed him to hit free agency. They never played hardball with Tom despite the fact that the league allows them to.
Hot take: Maybe BB saw this coming and realized that by giving Brady a shot at free agency, that Brady would choose to leave. Maybe BB preferred that rather than simply cutting him before he hit the "cliff". This way BB doesn't look so much as a bad guy, since Brady is the one choosing to leave; it's especially glaring that he's leaving without even having a destination secured.
 

DennyDoyle'sBoil

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Going back: it’s always been really interesting to me that they elected to give him a deal that allowed him to hit free agency. They never played hardball with Tom despite the fact that the league allows them to.
And that gave him nearly $10 million that effectively made him impossible to resign.

I have been saying for a year that it made absolutely no sense and was the most non Patriot like thing that I had ever seen. They gave him no franchise and put themselves further in cap jail for absolutely nothing in return. Obviously it wasn’t to buy him goodwill to stay. It was simply an outright gift from Kraft and BB.

I think everyone knew this was coming a year ago. Except us.
 

yecul

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Hard to call Brady selfish. Easy to spin this as the Pats not "valuing" him or stepping up given they had the lowest offer on the table. Not sure why this is all at the player's feet.
 

joe dokes

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Hot take: Maybe BB saw this coming and realized that by giving Brady a shot at free agency, that Brady would choose to leave. Maybe BB preferred that rather than simply cutting him before he hit the "cliff". This way BB doesn't look so much as a bad guy, since Brady is the one choosing to leave; it's especially glaring that he's leaving without even having a destination secured.
I have long thought that's at the heart of it. Whatever they disagree on, I think BB and Kraft understand that his leaving will be difficult lets not compound it by having to cut him while he's still under contract (or because he's still under contract).

And it bought BB a year to decide when the "a year too soon rather than a year too late" guidepost kicked in.

Seems like all 3 sides behaved reasonably.
 
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steveluck7

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Hot take: Maybe BB saw this coming and realized that by giving Brady a shot at free agency, that Brady would choose to leave. Maybe BB preferred that rather than simply cutting him before he hit the "cliff". This way BB doesn't look so much as a bad guy, since Brady is the one choosing to leave; it's especially glaring that he's leaving without even having a destination secured.
I don't think it's that hot of a take. It has set up all along so that Bill can say "Tom chose to exercise his right and move on..."
I do wonder if Brady miscalculated one thing... Kraft's involvement. I wonder if, when he was negotiating last year, Brady assumed that RKK would step in during this process and make sure Bill made an acceptable offer to keep Brady.
 

Pitt the Elder

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I think I'm probably done watching the NFL in any serious way, given the CTE issues and all the other dumbfuckery. Putting on the TV and seeing TB12 was one of the few things that made me feel like I had a connection to the game.
 

drbretto

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I hadn't seen the poll. It's 100% on Brady the day he declared he was going to wait for free agency. Just like Mookie was gone the day he wanted 400. (I support Mookie and the Sox on that one, btw. It's a totally different scenario).

There was no chance a team wouldn't overpay for him and that the Pats weren't going to match it. Brady decided to leave a long time ago.
 

Bowser

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Sep 27, 2019
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Yesterday I was imagining a trade for Stefon Diggs and Kyle Rudolph, pairing them with AB (!), and making another run. So yeah, today sucks. But we need to remember it's the New England Patriots, not the New England Tom Bradys.

Think of the joy we'll get torturing the league with a new QB. It may not won't happen this year, but it will soon. And schadenfreude won't begin to describe it.

Thanks Tommy Six Rings. Best of luck, and hope you sling it to 45.

In the meantime, in a few days we'll all be as right as rain.

 

Mueller's Twin Grannies

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Dec 19, 2009
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He just had a week in Costa Rica with his family. Maybe Gisele wins and he retires. It not like they really need the money.
His post said something about his football journey continuing elsewhere, so highly unlikely. I think if he was walking away, it would have been more clear. He was never going to do the Sapp "DONE" thing, but he would have said he was leaving the game behind.

I hope everyone here realizes he is STILL going to retire as a Patriot - he'll get the one-day contract, put on the jersey one more time, and say goodbye. And I bet it's sooner rather than later. The league is getting younger and faster and Brady is doing neither. I suspect he's one and done wherever he goes, even if it's on a two-year deal. They'll go all in for a season (maybe two if the talent shakes out and Brady surprises everyone by going one more year to try to get that 7th ring) and try to win a title, then he'll ride off into the sunset.
 

Ed Hillel

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Train will be rolling to 6 - 10. Check out the schedule.

Teams literally go from bad to good in the NFL every year. That is what made the Pats dynasty so impressive. It's the easiest sport to rebuild in but the hardest to keep it going.

Brady deserved more from the Patriots organization.
Train being the organizational approach. They could not afford Tom Brady without decimating the rest of the team, full stop. This has nothing to do with “deserved,” you don’t sink a franchise for any one person.
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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As others have noted, Brady's NE career had to end at some point. Even with the lack of talent around him, it seemed like he was showing signs of age-related decline last season so watching another season of father time catch up to him was always going to be tough for some of us, even if he is still better than most other QBs in the league.

Finally, if you set aside emotion, its hard to be mad at either Brady or the Patriots. He still wants to play and get paid market value. The Patriots are wary of paying up for a 43 year old QB.
 

greek_gawd_of_walks

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For some reason, I'm imagining that the last time TB12 and BB spoke played out like that scene from The Wire where Avon and Stringer are up on the rooftop looking out over Baltimore, for the moment, the city being theirs. They both had moved on from each other and made decisions in their own interest, but played it out like they were still family. Just reminiscing about how they started out, ripping badminton sets from sporting goods stores and being on the corners. "Remember that throw, Tom?" "Remember that drive, Bill?" Just crazy fucking shit.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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I’m actually kind of psyched. I mean, my first choice wouldve been TB12 on a one-year deal, and my second choice would be that he starts a long happy retirement...but much as I’ve enjoyed the 20 years of excellence of the Brady years, I‘m excited to see what’s next.

Really didn’t see the Pats as a SB team in 2020 (besides the obvious, the D isnt at that level — werent so amazing after the run through the 2019 QB pupu platter portion of the schedule, and now sans Van Noy and Collins) and winning the division (hardly a sure thing even with TB12) but losing in the playoffs just doesn’t get me excited anymore. Let’s see what BB can do! Let’s have a draft playing to build, not touch up! Let’s see how the other side lives.

Love and respect to TB12. I guess I prefer he lands with the Chargers than TB, because he’d just look dumb in a Bucs uniform. And I don’t want him voting in Florida this fall.
 

moondog80

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I voted "no one" in the poll, but to the degree we are trying to nail this down, I think this is more the Pats moving on from Brady than the other way around.

And any time a team lets a big name guy go...what's the term, information asymmetry? The Pats almost always guess right in these situations, I don't expect this to be any different.
 

BornToRun

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I have a few thoughts about this and I feel the need to put them down here, both to contribute to the discussion and for posterity’s sake.

Tom, I know you will never read this but I still need to say it. Thank you. Thank you for providing me with some of the happiest moments of my life. I , along with every other Patriots fan, consider it the ultimate privilege to have been able to root for you and watch all that you’ve accomplished during your incredible career with the Patriots. Those memories are something that I will cherish for as long as I live. I wish you the absolute best of luck with whatever you choose to do next.

As far my feelings towards his departure go? I’m actually okay with it. I wanted Tom to come back to make a few more runs at it, but I’m also excited for what the future holds. Starting new with a fresh face at quarterback is fun to consider. I also think it’ll be really cool to see what Tom does in another uniform and I’m excited to watch him play wherever he decides to sign. I feel this way because we’ve already been so spoiled over these last two decades that I feel as though his legacy in New England, while I would’ve loved to see him add to it, is complete. A winning record every year, winning the division every year he was the starter except for one, 3 MVPs, 9 trips to the Super Bowl, and 6 rings. I don’t think there’s anything left undone so I’m ready for this new era of football without having to consider any what ifs or yeah buts. I hope Tom lights it up while Bill and the crew get to work on Dynasty: Part II.
 

moretsyndrome

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He made the right call for himself (as long as he goes to a team with a good OL - because he really needs that now - and technically the 100% right call would be to retire, but whatever, he's not doing that), At this point he's not the guy who can take a Pinto and turn it into a Ferrari like he did here a couple of times. Now, you give him the keys to a Ferrari and trust him not to drive it into a pole. These Patriots are not a Ferrari.

And so, the Pats probably made the right call for the team. Now, were they forced into this by having one of those 2-3 year spells of unproductive drafts - plus losing a pick this year because Sanu can't play anymore? You bet they were. If you can't stock the 53-man with X% of guys on rookie deals, then you have to overpay your middle class just to keep the team operational, and that just piles up until there's no logical way to drop $30MM on a guy who was born in the Seventies.

It had to happen sometime, and to me, this time makes as much sense as any. Mahomes is the real thing. KC may own the AFC for a while if they stay healthy. They barely held him off 14 months ago and they're not in a position to do it this year, not even close. Even adding a stupid fucking 17th game makes it less likely that you'd want this team to start the season with an old dude back there.

With all that, I'm not terribly optimistic in how well Belichick can pull off the rebuild, but it's not like I have any idea if Stidham can play or not, or what else he has up his sleeve.
 

dirtynine

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The guy will be 43 in a sport where people now routinely retire before 30. Any other player would be gone by now. It'll suck seeing him in another helmet, and it's always sad when things end, but we got orders of magnitude more than we ever could have hoped out of 2000 draft pick #199. No hard feelings & fare thee well.
 

heavyde050

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Nov 17, 2006
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I have a few thoughts about this and I feel the need to put them down here, both to contribute to the discussion and for posterity’s sake.

Tom, I know you will never read this but I still need to say it. Thank you. Thank you for providing me with some of the happiest moments of my life. I , along with every other Patriots fan, consider it the ultimate privilege to have been able to root for you and watch all that you’ve accomplished during your incredible career with the Patriots. Those memories are something that I will cherish for as long as I live. I wish you the absolute best of luck with whatever you choose to do next.

As far my feelings towards his departure go? I’m actually okay with it. I wanted Tom to come back to make a few more runs at it, but I’m also excited for what the future holds. Starting new with a fresh face at quarterback is fun to consider. I also think it’ll be really cool to see what Tom does in another uniform and I’m excited to watch him play wherever he decides to sign. I feel this way because we’ve already been so spoiled over these last two decades that I feel as though his legacy in New England, while I would’ve loved to see him add to it, is complete. A winning record every year, winning the division every year he was the starter except for one, 3 MVPs, 9 trips to the Super Bowl, and 6 rings. I don’t think there’s anything left undone so I’m ready for this new era of football without having to consider any what ifs or yeah buts. I hope Tom lights it up while Bill and the crew get to work on Dynasty: Part II.
Like....Love
 

Harry Hooper

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Whatever happens, I still see the Dolphins, Bears, and Giants as more likely landing spots for Brady than the Bucs.
 
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