For the first time in his career, Tom Brady is positioned to become an unrestricted free agent on March 18th, 2020. As tensions rise between the star player and head coach Bill Belichick, fans and sports analysts alike are on the edge of their seats. Will Tom Brady re-sign with his long-standing home team, the Patriots, become a free agent, or actually retire?
Peter Schieffelin Nyberg is the Chief Financial Officer at the Camino Community Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and a big sports fan himself. Like those who frequent the Camino Community Center, Peter Nyberg has his eye on news outlets for word on Brady.
Brady is Unlikely to Retire
Tom Brady has said time and again that he intends to play football well into his forties. Currently, at age 42 (going on 43 in August this year), Brady shows no signs of slowing down. Reports say that Brady has made several requests of the Patriots, or any team interested in signing him for that matter, says Nyberg. This alone shows that Brady is unlikely to retire before the 2020 season as he entertains his options. In numerous interviews as early as 2017, Brady has expressed interest in playing well into his mid-forties, even suggesting his fifties in Sports Illustrated.[1] Barring any significant developments in the coming days, it’s doubtful that fans will see Brady step aside.
Where Will Brady End Up?
Commentators on news outlets like ESPN, such as Max Kellerman and Keyshawn Johnson, have speculated as recently as Monday this week that Brady intends to stay with the Patriots, but is leveraging public opinion and pressure from the Patriots owner, Robert Kraft, to encourage head coach Bill Belichick to express his desire for Brady to stay on the team.[2] According to Johnson, Belichick is known for interpersonal skills that can leave players wanting despite his intelligence and proven record as a winning coach. In what can become Brady’s last years as an elite quarterback, Johnson speculated on Monday that perhaps what Brady really needs is reassurance from Belichick and the Patriots that he is truly wanted. But Belichick has yet to offer that reassurance.
For Peter Nyberg, the situation is further complicated by Brady’s overall popularity. Fans love him and he is an outstanding player, but he is getting older. Like others, Nyberg points to NFL insider Dianna Russini’s commentary on ESPN on Tuesday, where she suggested that Brady’s interest in other teams might actually outweigh the other teams’ interest in Brady.[3] After all, he is an expensive player to say the least and the league has caps imposed on their budget for player salaries.
Brady Wants Control
According to Russini, Brady is looking for more than just salary on his new (or existing) team. He’s looking for control over the roster as well as influence in calling the plays.[4] While having a say in calling the plays isn’t outlandish for a star player, having control over the roster is unheard of in the NFL. That’s not to say Brady hasn’t accomplished this before. Reports came out in early 2018 stating that Brady may have influenced Kraft to trade quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who Belichick was reportedly grooming[5], securing Brady’s position on the team.[6] For Peter Nyberg, Brady having more influence over the team roster might not be a bad thing. He suggests that perhaps if Brady had had more say last season, the Patriots’ offense might have been bolstered.
Regardless of the politics surrounding Brady, Nyberg continues to doubt retirement is a serious option. More likely, he says, Brady will use his free agency to position himself in a place of more power on his team, whether that be the Patriots or a new team. But, based on his long career with the Patriots, Peter Nyberg wonders if Brady will be inclined to spend what could be his last few seasons in the game with the team he was first drafted to as the 199th pick.
References:
[1] https://www.si.com/nfl/2017/07/24/tom-brady-new-england-patriots-birthday-40-years-old?utm_campaign=sinow&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&xid=socialflow_twitter_si
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgK-vmVoMf8&app=desktop
[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJeatNpt7Yk
[4] Ibid.
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgK-vmVoMf8&app=desktop
[6] https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2752541-bill-belichick-reportedly-didnt-support-jimmy-garoppolo-trade