Tom Brady released his goodbye letter to New England in The Players’ Tribune on Monday, and most of it was standard fare, thanking New England for supporting him, reflecting on his time with the Patriots, saying how excited he is for a new chapter with the Bucs, etc.
You could just leave it at that, a nice sendoff from a legendary athlete who’s leaving for a new team.
Or … OR … you could pore through every sentence of it, looking for slight and subtle jabs taken at the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick on the way out the door.
That is what I have done, and I have found six things that could very well be Brady taking parting shots at his former team.
Are most of these slights perceived, and not really anything at all? Are these the deranged ramblings of a sportswriter who is trying to exist in a world without sports? Am I losing my mind?
Probably!
ANYWAY, let’s get to the list.
6. Leaving behind what doesn’t fit
The Brady quote:
“When you pack things up, you realize that some things fit perfectly, and other things don’t fit anymore. You either leave behind what no longer fits or you make an extra effort to make it fit.”
The analysis:
I’m not entirely sure what’s going on in this metaphor, and what’s meant to be construed as baggage, and if he’s referring to things in his own life or outside things like, say, a football team in New England … but I’m not his TA and if the Players Tribune wants to get a little loosey goosey with their metaphors, go on with your bad selves.
What I do know is that he said that some things “don’t fit anymore” and he had to “leave behind what no longer fits,” which seems to be talking about how things weren’t working out with the Patriots anymore. Maybe. Listen, I had to fill up this list somehow.
5. “A team that is confident in what I do”
The Brady quote:
“In turn I’m ready to embrace fully a team that is confident in what I do — and what I bring — and is willing to go on this ride with me.”
The analysis:
Oh so one team is confident in what you do and what you bring, implying that there is a team that isn’t confident in what you do and what you bring. Barely a stretch at all! Definite subtle jab vibes there! I am NOT a crackpot.
4. Getting an opportunity
The Brady quote:
“When a team gives you the opportunity to do those things with them, well … if not with them, then who?”
The analysis:
Framing a question wondering what other team you could possibly play for? If not with them, then who? I’ll tell you who! The New England Patriots! Couldn’t include them in your little thought experiment? A subtle jab INDEED!
3. “Seen and heard”
The Brady quote:
“Playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a change, a challenge, an opportunity to lead and collaborate, and also to be seen and heard.”
The analysis:
Now we’re in real subtle jab territory. Forget subtle, this is encroaching on just straight jab territory. The words to key in on are at the end, when he says that playing for the Bucs will give him an opportunity to be “seen and heard.” Why would he need to go to the Bucs to do that, unless he wasn’t being seen and heard in New England? JAB. JAB. JABBER JABBER JABBER.
2. The one mention of Bill Belichick in the entire piece
The Brady quote:
“By the way, in the sixth round it’s not like Coach Belichick himself was on the other end of the line — I think it was his assistant, Berj. ‘We just wanted to let you know you’ve been picked by the New England Patriots,’ Berj said.”
The analysis
Bill Belichick is mentioned by name exactly one time in Tom Brady’s goodbye thank you letter — to note that Belichick didn’t call him when the Patriots drafted him. That’s it. No other mention.
Which leads us to No. 1…
1. Leaving out Bill Belichick in his “thank you” list
The Brady quote:
“Of course, it starts with the entire New England Patriots organization, and Robert Kraft and the entire Kraft family. It extends to countless other individuals who played such a valuable role in my 20 years as a Patriot. Teammates and coaches, past and present. Old friends, new friends, the neighbors we went trick-or-treating with every year. But mostly, I’ll miss the fans.”
The analysis:
Brady’s goodbye litany mentions Robert Kraft and his entire family, but not the coach who he will forever be linked to, the one other guy (aside from Kraft) who was there for the entire ride. I’m reading THAT as a jab, like it or not.
Also: Please sports, come back. I don’t even know what I’m writing about anymore.
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