Patriots’ Brady continues to defy Father Time at 40
Even as he approaches the age of 40, Tom Brady is planning on being around a lot longer.
In the hours leading up to Super Bowl LI in Houston, an NFL Network report emerged that the New England Patriots expect their star quarterback to play at least another three seasons, and potentially as many as five.
Despite turning the big 4- OH in August, work could begin on a contract extension, one that would take Brady well into his early 40s, as soon as next off-season.
It backs up Brady’s past claims that he wants to play until he’s 45.
Aside from the obvious contributions on the field, perhaps the biggest hand Brady has lent his franchise over the years is his willingness to take below market deals in order to help the overall roster.
His last extension, signed in March, provided the Patriots with team-friendly cap hits of $ 14 million this season and next, before bumping to $ 22 million in 2018 and 2019.
Don’t worry, Brady’s not poor. The Patriots did hand him a $ 28- million signing bonus for taking a smidgen less.
If you’re not really sure exactly how big of a bargain Brady really i s, consider the fact Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler, one of the more maligned signal- callers around, will earn $ 37 million in cold, hard cash for the 2016 and ’17 seasons.
At the same time, Brady will collect just $30 million.
As an added benefit, Brady’s desire to play well into his 40s allows the Patriots to acquire assets in return for coveted backup Jimmy Garoppolo, whose contract expires after next season.
Thanks to another brilliant season with 28 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in 12 starts, Brady is still playing at an elite level, but when Father Time calls, he tends to take hold quickly.
Just ask Peyton Manning, who went from a record-setting 55 touchdowns passes in 2013 to a nine-touchdown season and retirement in a little more than two years.
NUK TO NEW ENGLAND?
Before trading linebacker Jamie Collins to the Cleveland Browns in a surprising and rare mid- season deal, the Patriots looked at other scenarios.
One i ncluded offering Collins to the Texans in exchange f or star wideout DeAndre ‘ Nuk’ Hopkins, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.
The Texans swiftly declined that offer, as well as one for 32- year- old cornerback Johnathan Joseph.
Bill Belichick ended up getting a third- round pick from the Browns for Collins, a pending free- agent at the time who ended up signing a four-year, $50-million extension last month.
While it doesn’t seem like it was ever even close to happening, giving Brady a target like Hopkins to work with would’ve been gamechanging.
The 6- foot-1, 215- pounder suffered through an Osweiler- induced down year, but his true talent level looks more like the 1,500- yard, 11- touchdown season he posted in 2015.
MACK EPITOME OF TOUGHNESS
Atlanta Falcons’ centre Alex Mack gets the yearly gut-it-out Super Bowl award.
There’s always a player or two on the field in the final game of the season who wouldn’t be suiting up under normal circumstances, and this year it was Mack doing so with a fractured fibula.
No matter, though, as the Pro Bowl offensive lineman was in his usual spot snapping footballs to Ryan, and the Falcons rushing attack was one of the reasons they were able to jump out to a big lead.
Ma c k was limited t hroughout t he week in practice, but one report said the 31- year- old simply told Falcons decision makers, “I’m playing. Period.”
START SLOW, FINISH STRONG
It’s amazing to think the Patriots have not scored a single point in the first quarter of any Super Bowl during the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick era.
Another slow start Sunday allowed the Atlanta Falcons to work out the cobwebs early — Matt Ryan’s eight-game streak of scoring on his first possession was snapped — before the floodgates opened in the second quarter thanks to costly mistakes by the Patriots.
The stunned Pats hadn’t trailed since Week 12, and they looked like a team not used to playing from behind, too.
O- SEE YA
With the Super Bowl now over, Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan can officially be given the title he’s unofficially had for at least a couple weeks: San Francisco 49ers head coach.
That leaves the Falcons searching for an offensive coordinator.
Current Atlanta quarterbacks coach Matt LaFleur is seen as one potential successor, but rumours have him either joining Shanahan by the Bay or taking the vacant L. A. Rams offensive co- ordinator job.
If that happens, the Falcons could turn to former Philadelphia Eagles and 49ers head coach Chip Kelly.
SMITH RETURNING?
If troubled Oakland Raiders pass-rusher Aldon Smith can keep his nose clean for the next few weeks, he’ll likely be allowed to return to the NFL.
The 27- year-old has racked up 47.5 sacks in only 59- career games, but he hasn’t been able to stay out of trouble since being selected seventh overall by the Niners in the 2011 draft.
The final straw came in November of 2015 when he was suspended for one calendar year for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy after an incident in which he was charged with hit and run, DUI and vandalism.
Smith met with commissioner Roger Goodell in December, but his reinstatement bid was put off until March.
According to Rapoport, that ban will come to an end next month.