An era of the NFL is coming to a close before our very eyes. We’ve already said goodbye to the Manning brothers. Andrew Luck was forced to retire at far too young of an age because of injury. And we can see the writing on the wall for guys like Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, and of course, the G.O.A.T, Tom Brady. But many of these aging quarterbacks aren’t ready to hang it up. Heck, Brady even said he’d like to play until he’s 45. These aging stars still believe they have a little something left in the tank. Something more to prove. But, what else could a guy with 6 Super Bowl rings have to prove? Most of us mortals will never understand the mentality of the professional athlete, especially guys like Tom Brady who most people consider to be the best to ever do it.

There looks to be an unprecedented number of free agent quarterbacks heading into the 2020/2021 NFL season, and many teams will have difficult decisions to make at the position. It appears that the Chargers are prepared to move on from Philip Rivers after 15 seasons. Drew Brees might retire, forcing the Saints to scramble to find a quarterback. The Cowboys still haven’t signed Dak Prescott. There’s uncertainty in Detroit surrounding the health and future of Matthew Stafford. There have been rumors of the Panthers potentially moving on from Cam Newton. What will the Buccaneers do with Jameis Winston? What will the Titans do with Marcus Mariota or Ryan Tannehill? Are the Jaguars sold on either Nick Foles or Gardner Minshew? How about the Dolphins with Fitzmagic or Josh Rosen? Is Jon Gruden sold on Derek Carr? What are the Vikings plans with Kirk Cousins after this season? As you can see, there is a lot of uncertainty around the league at the quarterback position. But for the sake of this article, we’ll focus on one glaring team’s decision. Who will be playing QB for the Patriots next season?

For the last 19 seasons, the answer to that question has more often than not been Tom Brady. But for the first time ever, Brady is not signed by the Patriots, and claims to still want to play. Does this mean the two will finally part ways? I’m not sure. Tom Brady has started 283 games for the Patriots, with an astonishing record of 219-64. He’s
won 6 Super Bowls with the Pats, and 3 MVP awards. Why would either side want to part ways?

Well, there are a few things at play here. For starters, he’s 42 years old, and Lord knows Father Time is undefeated. Eventually, the Pats will need a new QB to replace Brady when he can no longer do the job effectively. But Brady has notoriously taken less money over the years to allow Bill Belichick to build great teams around Brady. Could this be Brady finally trying to cash in and get what he thinks he’s worth from the team? Belichick is notorious for moving on from players too soon, rather than too late. Maybe there is internal feuding between Pats owner Robert Kraft and Belichick over whether or not to invest that kind of money into Brady.

Another thing that gets called into question is: Who is more important to the success of the Patriots, Tom Brady or Bill Belichick? Maybe this is a driving force here. The two have already achieved so much together – that has to be the only thing left to prove. So, let’s have some fun with this. If Tom Brady were to play for another team, where could he go? Tennessee, to be reunited with former teammate Mike Vrabel? You could make a case, but I don’t think he goes there. How about the Chargers, setting up shop in LA for his post playing career endeavors? I’m sure the NFL would appreciate the buzz that would generate for the team, since they’ve been struggling to create a fan base. Or, along those lines, what about Las Vegas with the Raiders? How about the Colts? They have a good offensive line, and are definitely in the market for a QB.

Here’s what I would like to see. Check this out – Dak Prescott still hasn’t signed an extension with the Cowboys, right? There’s been an ongoing debate over whether or not the Cowboys should give Dak the money he’s going to command as a free agent. Well, wouldn’t this be a fun turn of events… what if Jerry Jones makes Tom Brady an offer he can’t refuse? I can see it now – Tom Brady, our beloved Patriot – now set to play for America’s Team. We’ve seen new Cowboy coach Mike McCarthy have great success with Aaron Rodgers, but Rodgers seems like he could be a little difficult to work with. Imagine what he could do with Brady! They have a great offensive line, a great running
back, some good wide receivers… maybe all they’re missing…is Tom Brady. Boy, that would be fun. Then I’d be anxiously awaiting to see who Belichick brings in as the new QB of the Pats. What will Brady decide? Who knows. But it sure is fun to speculate!