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Buccaneers' quarterback Tom Brady leaving Foxboro with a victory / via Nancy Lane/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald

Addressing The Brady to New England Rumors

December 8, 2022

About that rumor of Buccaneers’ quarterback Tom Brady returning to play for the Patriots. Didn’t hear About that?

Recently The Athletic’s Jeff Howe floated the idea that Brady could return to the Patriots for the 2023 NFL season.

“Brady and Bill Belichick still have an abundance of respect for one another. They’ve made points to say it publicly on multiple occasions since the QB departed for Tampa. They also spent 23 minutes together in the visiting locker room at Gillette Stadium following Brady’s return in 2021 an appointment they set up prior to the game”

“The Patriots are slated to have more than $50 million in cap space in 2023, so they can again address their flaws, this time on the heels of a couple impressive draft classes.

“The issues? Not the egos. Not the pride. For Brady, he’d have to know the offense is in capable hands. There have been criticisms of Matt Patricia’s first season as a play caller plenty warranted, others exaggerated and Brady benefited by an abundance of stability with the offensive coordinator in New England. “He’d either need to be comfortable with Patricia or push for a reunion with someone like Bill O’Brien, currently the Alabama offensive coordinator, to ensure he’s not wasting a season as a 46-year-old. Sure, Brady would return to run his offense, but he can’t also coordinate it.”

Not So Fast

ESPN’s insider Seth Wickersham recently spoke about this on the SiriusXM’s Mad Dog Sports Radio Show.

“I just can’t see that ever happening. I think Brady and coach [Bill] Belichick are on good terms, but I just cannot see him returning to New England to play.”

Wickersham conceded that Brady would want to know who he’d be working with Aaron an offensive play-caller. Patriots current offensive play-caller is Matt Patricia. And it doesn’t sound like that’s a good thing in Brady’s eyes.

The Rub

I just can’t see Brady going back to New England. He decided to leave for a reason, whether that was on his own accord or was he forced out?

If Brady left on his own accord, then the question would be, do the Patriots have a good enough team to lure him back? Then, what would New England do with Mac Jones?

Either way you slice it there’s a lot of hurdles to jump and fences to mend. Not sure if you’ve paid attention to Belichick, but he’s not the apologetic type.