Brady agrees to deal with Bucs
Veteran QB leaves Patriots after 20 years
Tom Brady didn’t take long to determine his landing spot in the NFL.
The former New England Patriots quarterback agreed in principle to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a person with knowledge of the deal told USA TODAY Sports’ Mike Jones. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been finalized and cannot be completed until the start of the league year on Wednesday.
NFL Network was first to report the news.
The deal is believed to be worth roughly $30 million per year, according to NFL Network.
Earlier on Tuesday, NFL Network reported that the Los Angeles Chargers believed they were out of the running for Brady. The six-time Super Bowl champion and three-time MVP would prefer to stay on the East Coast because of “family considerations,” according to the report.
Brady, who will turn 43 in August, said Tuesday he will not return to the Patriots next season and instead look elsewhere in free agency, ending his 20-year run with the organization.
“To all my teammates, coaches, executives and staff, Coach (Bill) Belichick, RKK (owner Robert Kraft) and the Kraft family and the entire organization,” Brady wrote on a post to his social media channels. “I want to say thank you for the past twenty years of my life and the daily commitment to winning and creating a winning culture built on great values . ... Although my football journey will take place elsewhere, I appreciate everything that we have achieved and am grateful for our incredible TEAM accomplishments.”
In Tampa, Brady would work under the guidance of coach Bruce Ari
ans, who sharply contrasts the Patriots’ Bill Belichick with his self-described easygoing demeanor. The Buccaneers’ top-ranked offense (302.8 yards per game) also returns plenty of talent, including Pro Bowl wide receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Arians, however, has typically favored strongarmed passers in his “no risk it, no biscuit” downfield passing attack and might need to adjust for Brady and his quick-trigger approach.
Jameis Winston, who served as the Buccaneers’ starter since being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL draft, is a free agent.
The move is a significant splash for a franchise primarily known for its turbulent early years, in which it routinely finished with one of the league’s worst records.
The Buccaneers have the NFL’s second-longest active playoff drought, having not made the postseason since 2007. Since that time, Brady has won three Super Bowls and made 11 postseason appearances, missing out in 2008 when he was sidelined for the season by a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Tampa will host the Super Bowl in 2020 as the Buccaneers look to become the first NFL team to win the Lombardi Trophy on their home field.
Any regular-season rematch with the Patriots will not occur until 2021, when the Buccaneers are scheduled to visit Gillette Stadium.
Belichick is left with replacing the most successful quarterback pro football has seen while also retooling a roster that already had several needs.
The Patriots dominated the AFC East during Brady’s tenure, winning the division 17 times, including a record 11 straight seasons, to go along with their six Lombardi Trophies.
But Brady was frustrated throughout 2019 as he tried to lead an offense that lacked consistency and a deep threat at receiver. He also struggled to get dependable production from the tight end position following the retirement of Rob Gronkowski.
“Nothing about the end of Tom’s Patriots career changes how unfathomably spectacular it was,” Belichick said in a statement Tuesday. “With his relentless competitiveness and longevity, he earned everyone’s adoration and will be celebrated forever. It has been a privilege to coach Tom Brady for 20 years.”
What’s next for Belichick as he prepares for the official start of free agency on Wednesday with 2019 fourth-round pick Jarrett Stidham as his starting quarterback? That’s hardly an ideal scenario.