Patriots’ Brady defying Father Time
39-year-old superstar expected to play at least three more years
Even before the drive for five was complete, Tom Brady already had an itch for six.
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 40 in August, work could begin on a contract extension, one that would take Brady into his mid-40s, as soon as next off-season.
It backs up Brady’s past claims that he wants to play until he’s 45, and after winning his fifth Super Bowl in dramatic fashion Sunday, his legacy as the best ever has been cemented — not that it needed more cement poured on it in the first place.
Now, the question is how many more Super Bowls can the Patriots get to before No. 12 calls it quits?
If his fourth-quarter performance against the bewildered Atlanta Falcons is any indication, there’s a good chance we haven’t seen the last of Brady on the biggest stage football has to offer.
But 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 to help the overall roster.
His last extension, signed in March, provided the Patriots with team-friendly cap hits of US$14 million this season and next before bumping to US$22 million in 2018 and 2019.
Don’t worry, Brady’s not poor. The Patriots did hand him a US$28-million signing bonus for taking a smidgen less.
If you’re not really sure exactly how big of a bargain Brady really is, consider the fact Houston Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler, one of the more maligned signal-callers around, will earn US$37 million for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. At the same time, Brady will collect US$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 midseason deal, the Patriots looked at other scenarios.
One included offering Collins to the Texans in exchange for 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 US$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 game-changing. The six-foot-one 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.