Well, Tom Brady got eliminated. As New England fans – and therefore Brady fans – we could live in the moment with our heads down after the Cowboys defeated Tampa Bay 31-14 on Monday night. But, we know Tom’s not doing that (think back to when he responded with “the next one” when asked what his favorite Super Bowl ring of all-time was).
So, that begs the question, what should Brady do?
When juggling the ideas of returning to Tampa Bay, changing scenery, or retiring, we must first ask ourselves – is he still that good? And the answer is: yes, yes he is. First of all, is he one of the best 32 quarterbacks on the planet? Once again, yes. So, for anyone who says he should hang up the helmet – I disagree, respectfully.
In order to remain grounded – and not let our passion about Brady (good or bad) get in the way – we must also ask ourselves about his situation in Tampa Bay this past season. We’ve seen him with better offensive lines, better receiving cores, and better coaching. Yet, he still looked like his old self on more than one occasion. I mean, guys and girls, he threw for 4,694 yards – that’s very hard to do.
So, what should the man do? If he returns to Tampa Bay, I’m not sure the situation would change much. The Bucs could be a tad better – just with the natural gelling of players becoming more familiar with one another over time (I’m going to rule that one out. I think Brady wants a story, plus I’d say that’s the least-exciting option of them all).
How about taking his talents to a different team? Yes, he grew up a San Francisco 49ers fan, and boy, are there some explosive offenses he could make even better, but I don’t see those options happening either.
Another path: retiring. Once again, nah. There was a time when Brady answered “when I suck, I’ll retire” when asked about the option, and we’ve already gone over the fact that he certainly does not. With his personal situation in mind, alongside his competitive nature, I’m going to cross that one off as well.
Here’s my pick, and I promise, this isn’t just a diehard Patriots fan talking. I think Brady should come back to Foxboro and finish his career where he belongs. Belichick by his side, the navy jerseys, the “let’s go!” screams coming out of the Gillette Stadium tunnel – it all just seems right.
There’s no pressure for him in New England, either. It’s not like the Pats just made a deep playoff run and Brady could put them over the top – we didn’t make the playoffs. He could teach the others, get used to that cold weather again, and complete the greatest sports story in world history.
Tom, from one of your biggest fans, do whatever makes you happy.
