Quarterback Tom Brady’s negotiations with the New England Patriots did not go as he’d hoped, according to NBC Sports Boston and NFL Network. It seems there was a disconnect between what Brady expected and what Bill Belichick and the Patriots actually did.
And so, Brady is leaving the Patriots. He announced his decision to continue his football journey elsewhere on Twitter on Tuesday. That came after a meeting with Patriots owner Robert Kraft on Monday night and after limited interaction with Belichick, who reportedly gave Brady space to state what he wanted. But Belichick never made much of an offer, nor did he engage in contract negotiations, per NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran.
That didn’t sit well with Brady.
The #Patriots stance was the same — what does Tom Brady want to do? Does he want to come back and is this where he think it’s the best place to win? When he never came back… that was where it stood. And Brady posted his goodbye.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2020
In the end, a tangible effort by the Patriots to keep Tom Brady in New England never happened. No negotiation. Just the intimation that it was on Brady to say what he wanted. For Brady, that stance spoke volumes.
— Tom E. Curran (@tomecurran) March 17, 2020
It seems Brady and Kraft’s meeting became an opportunity for the quarterback to explain his decision. The two men are incredibly tight, often referring to each other as father and son. It seems Kraft was at peace with Brady’s decision. After all, the owner and coach granted Brady the freedom to enter 2019 with a clause in his contract which prevented the Patriots from using the franchise tag. That granted Brady freedom to explore and ultimately pursue his other options.
“Tommy initiated contact last night & came over,” Kraft told ESPN on Tuesday. “We had a positive, respectful discussion. It’s not the way I want it to end, but I want him to do what is in his best personal interest. After 20 years with us, he has earned that right. I love him like a son.”
Brady is unlikely to make his decision on Tuesday, per NBC Sports Boston. His suitors include the Los Angeles Chargers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to NFL Network.
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