Before we dig into this theory the obvious needs to be stated. Doubting Tom Brady is one of the worst bets in sports history. In this writer’s opinion, he is the greatest quarterback of all-time, and anything he does from here is icing on the cake. With that said, the cake may be made, the icing is on and the 2017 season could be the last that Tom Brady plays.
Tom Brady Conspiracy Theory
The Patriots did not trade Jimmy Garoppolo this off-season
Rumors are not always true. However, the rumors that surfaced around the inflated price of Jimmy Garoppolo got borderline ridiculous this off-season. By the time of the draft, one thing was clear, Garoppolo was not going anywhere.
The interesting tangent to this is that the former Eastern Illinois signal caller will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2017 season. If the Patriots; the team every other organization is supposed to mimic are throwing this outlandish price tag for a backup quarterback they must know something. If every team knows the Patriots know something about Garoppolo and what he will be, how much would he get monetarily on an open market? If Garoppolo is smart, he will make the Patriots pay him to keep him in New England after his rookie contract is up.
Brady’s salary
The Patriots spent a lot of money this off-season. The reason they had more cap space than usual had to do with the fact that Brady is on the cap for just $14 million this year. So while Kirk Cousins, Ben Roethlisberger, and Alex Smith have cap hits of $24 million, $22 million, and $17 million, respectively, the Patriots get that difference in space, plus the superior quarterback.
However, for the next two seasons, Brady’s contract will spike to $22 million against the cap. The Patriots had cap money this off-season and they will not have as much next season. Sure, the Patriots could move on from free agents Malcolm Butler and Nate Solder next year, however, Solder would be a huge loss. Are they really going to pay two quarterbacks starter-caliber money instead of a left tackle?
If cut, Brady’s cap hit drops all the way to $14 million in 2018, and $7 million the year after, a savings of $20 million for the Patriots in the long run. They are now less committed to Brady and less equipped to replace Dont’a Hightower, Nate Solder, and Stephon Gilmore as they are the Hall of Fame quarterback.
Gisele
Then, there is Brady’s wife, Gisele Bundchen. First, it might be easier for Brady to step away from the game when his wife is making more money than he is doing a seemingly easier job. That shouldn’t be disrespectful to Brady or his wife. It just helps to illustrate that Brady doesn’t have to keep playing to make money. It also proves why he would not mind playing for $14 million (which allows the Pats to add Gilmore and sign Hightower) rather than cashing in for all he is worth.
On top of the monetary aspect, his wife has struck headlines this off-season talking about his past history with concussions. The first thought is that this is not good for the health of Brady. His wife is clearly concerned, and this can easily be a determining factor in how much longer he will play. The second thought is that the NFL does not want to hear this. The NFL’s commissioner is dictator Roger Goodell. This is the same Goodell who has already lost a judicial battle with Brady once and is consistently battling the debate involving concussions. While this is no way implying that he will have any say in pushing Brady out, we are untucking all corners on this one. It may be better for Brady’s health and the health of the league for the future Hall of Fame quarterback to move on.
Brady’s mom
One of the more heartfelt stories of the past Super Bowl was Brady winning with his mother in attendance for the first time all season. She had been dealing with a major illness and did not have the power or ability to make it to any other games during the 2016 season. Brady posted a nice message about his mother and his family on Mother’s Day.
What more does he want?
After such an inspirational win against the Atlanta Falcons in the Super Bowl, what else is there for him to do? He won as a young up and comer. He won post Spygate. He won post deflate-gate. He won for his mother and his family in the greatest comeback of all-time. Tom Brady now has the financial security, all-time great status, and a family and off-field life pushing him move on.
Their team is all in to go back to and win another Super Bowl win next season. It has the chance to be an impressive season that makes even the strongest doubters believe in the legend as Brady rides into the sunset. Or, this could just be the wishes of a crazy football fan of another team grasping at straws.
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