Tom Brady: The End of an Era?

It’s both a weird and welcoming sight for many football fans to see the later rounds of the playoffs being played without the team and player that have dominated the National Football League (NFL) over the last decade. Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were eliminated from the playoffs with a 20-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card Round. Brady and his team played brilliantly throughout the whole game, but were not able to capture the victory. Brady still played fairly well, throwing over 200 yards. But the eventual game-deciding pick in the final seconds was a stain on his performance. Despite ending his 2019-2020 season with a strong record of 12-4, this was Brady’s worst season yet.

After the Wild Card loss, Brady addressed questions concerning his possible retirement, stating that he “hopes to continue playing.” However, the Patriots management team was unclear about the Hall of Famer’s future with the franchise. At 42 years old, some think that Brady has finally fallen off the proverbial “cliff” and may opt to retire. Others, including myself, think that Brady has a little more left in the tank, and more importantly, a lot left to prove. Now, his future with the Patriots is in the hands of Coach Bill Belichick. With that in mind, we will look at the potential options for Brady and the Patriots as they enter the next stage of their franchise.

Option One: Tom Brady and the Patriots Part Ways

The Patriots have a plethora of picks they can trade during the draft to find Tom Brady’s successor. One such prospect is Justin Herbert: a pocket passer out of Oregon who is a younger, more athletic version of Brady. However, Mel Kiper Jr., ESPN’s leading NFL Draft Analyst, predicts that another team will pick Herbert before the Patriots, since their first round pick sits late in the round at the 23rd overall selection.

In addition, Belichick has a reputation of finding amazing hidden quarterbacks in later rounds of the draft. For example, Jimmy Garoppolo, now the starting quarterback for the Super Bowl contending 49ers, was drafted in the second round by Belichick. Another example is Jacoby Brissett, the starting quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts and a former third round pick. He went 3-0 as the Patriots starter in his short tenure. Not to mention, Brady was picked by Belichick as the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.

However, Tom Brady’s successor might already be in the league: former Auburn quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Some consider Stidham to have been the best high school quarterback ever. Stidham holds the record for most touchdowns and yardage thrown in Texas High School football history. Stidham started his college career at Baylor, but quickly transferred to Auburn because the Auburn coaching staff offered him more playing time. The Patriots’ staff raves about Stidham’s throwing ability and poise in the pocket, which is particularly impressive for such a young player. The Patriots are still in a position to secure their quarterback position, either within the league or through free agency. However, the free agency route is unlikely due to the current relatively weak quarterback market.

From Brady’s perspective, it will be difficult for him to get a good deal due to his age. No matter what, he may have to settle for a one or two-year deal contingent. However, there is no doubt Brady will want to maintain his reputation as a true contender, so it is unlikely that he will join a team that does not have the potential to support his abilities. Here are two teams that would make sense for Brady to consider:

1) Chicago Bears

With a stellar defense, the Bears are contenders in the league. However, the Bears lack a strong quarterback, and that may be the difference that allows them to win a Super Bowl. Two years ago, Chicago used their first overall pick to get quarterback Mitch Trubisky from the University of North Carolina. But Trubisky struggled this year, so some speculate that the Bears will opt to move on from him rather quickly. With a short window left to win, Matt Nagy, the offensive mastermind behind the Bears’ offensive success, may want to bring in a veteran quarterback who knows how to win. There is no one better for that job than Brady.

2) Denver Broncos

We have already seen John Elway, the general manager of the Broncos, have success with signing veteran quarterbacks. Elway signed Peyton Manning in 2012, which was pivotal to the Broncos’ Super Bowl victory in 2016. Elway may look to follow a similar strategy to lead Denver to another Super Bowl. However, signing Brady would hinder youngster Drew Lock’s ability to grow as the team’s main quarterback. Denver used a valuable second round pick to get Lock in the second round of the 2018 draft and may want to give him a shot to lead the team with a half of a season’s worth of experience under his belt.

Option 2: Patriots Sign Brady to a Short-Term Deal

The more likely scenario is that the Patriots will sign Brady to a short-term deal. Given his age, a long-term deal would be nearly impossible. In addition, his age and performance may suggest an incentive based deal: he will earn a certain amount of money each season based on his performance. In terms of time, I predict that the Patriots’ management staff will guarantee Brady one year and then offer a team-option the second year. Given the emotional connection the Patriots have to Brady, the fans will want to see him return. The organization has also experienced unparalleled success with Brady at the helm of the team and may feel optimistic that he has at least one more successful season left.

My Opinion

Brady should only continue playing in the NFL if he gets a deal with the Patriots. Logistically, his family and kids have grown up in Boston, making it difficult to move his family for an experiment. Furthermore, he should be able to enjoy the fruits of his labor, especially after such an illustrious career.

From the Patriots' perspective, I think that they should give Brady a one-year deal. Stidham may need at least one more year to mature with the Patriots’ offensive system. Brady is not the reason why the Patriots struggled early in the playoffs. With an elite defense and skilled running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers, he deserves another opportunity to make another Super Bowl run. The Patriots may want to set the precedent of taking care of their players, which would incentive new stars to want to play for the winningest franchise of the decade.