The more things change, the more they stay the same in New England on game week.
Tom Brady is in the final season under his current contract with the Patriots (12-4), it’s been a mediocre year of play for the quarterback otherwise known as the GOAT. The reigning Super Bowl Champs dropped their regular-season finale to the Dolphins (5-11) and they are now a part of Wild Card weekend for the first time in a decade.
For Bill Belichick and TB 12, there is nothing at all different about the emotions heading into Saturday’s game at Gillette Stadium.
Thursday, reporters asked the appropriate questions about the circumstances surrounding Brady’s contract status in light of the team’s recent play and the win-or-be-done nature of the playoffs.
“I’m not much for nostalgia,” Brady said. “I’m just pretty focused on what I need to do and this week has felt like pretty much every other week for the past 20 years.”
Belichick’s version of an answer to a similar question was standard for the coach and equally lacking in emotion.
“Yeah, we’re focused on the Titans,” Belichick said. “That’s really … that’s all I’m focused on. So we’ll do everything we can to get ready to go and play the best game we can play Saturday night.”
The head coach only stumbled in starting to call the game day “Sunday,” but of course he never flinched or seemed to acknowledge the situation. Obviously, if the team does stay locked in and defeats the Titans (9-7), Brady will have at least one more game with the franchise anyway.
The Pats can’t place the franchise tag on their QB by the rules written in his contract but there is the time between the end of the season and March to negotiate something if it’s what the player and team want without Brady becoming a free agent for the first time in his career.
But just in case, watch the Pats host the Titans Saturday night at 8:15 p.m. ET. It could be Brady’s last game with the dynasty.