As we continuously get closer to the start of the NFL new league year on March 18, Tom Brady rumors are still running rampant. Just days ago, he was seen attending the Syracuse game alongside Julian Edelman and Jimmy Fallon. Throughout the game, cameras were sure to frequently cut to Brady to see if he would say anything. On a couple different occasions, people speculated on social media that they could decipher a conversation between Brady and Edelman, but in reality it was nothing. With that said, it was also caught on camera that the two of them were facetiming Mike Vrabel—the coach of the Tennessee Titans.
Out of all of the potential landing spots for Tom Brady, I truly believe that the Titans would make the most sense. The market in Nashville would be good for his TB12 brand, the weather is warm enough to make Giselle happy, and perhaps most importantly, the team defeated the New England Patriots in last year’s playoffs and has proved that it can be competitive for years to come. On top of all of that, Vrabel and Brady are still close to this day. One of the biggest reasons why doubters say Brady is not leaving the Patriots is because he would have to start from scratch, but that would not necessarily be the case if his head coach is Mike Vrabel. Although this is all only a possibility, it is important to be aware that Brady has had no formal conversations with any opposing team to this point.
As recently as this past Wednesday, reports came out that Brady and Bill Belichick had finally spoken over the phone. It reportedly did not go well, as Belichick apparently handled it as if Brady was still under contract and stuck “strictly to business.” Brady has been on the record all off-season saying he wants “respect,” which we can interpret as something much more than money. Rather than being paid fair market value, it is believed by most that Brady just wants a good supporting cast around him, and more than one year on his deal. As long as he has some job security along with a competitive offense, he would be happy to be on the Patriots. While this seems like a no-brainer for Belichick to appease him, it is certainly easier said than done.
We have all known that this situation was on the horizon all season long. In fact, some saw this coming even before the start of the 2019 season. However, I do not think anyone would have considered the San Francisco 49ers to be in the mix of teams interested. From a Brady standpoint, it would make too much sense: go back to where you grew up to play for your hometown team, a team that just went all the way to the Super Bowl, while also being in a warm area with a great market. There is just one giant problem—Jimmy Garoppolo is there and he is going to be a starting quarterback for the foreseeable future.
Back when Garoppolo was traded in 2017, delusional Patriots’ fans would say, “Don’t you worry, Bill will find a way to get him back.” That was nothing but laughable back then, but could this really be a reality now? The answer to that is yes. Although no one has actually spoken on the record about it, many reporters have stated that there is interest from the 49ers front office in signing Brady. If true, there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Belichick would want to make a deal to bring Garoppolo back. He looked completely over-matched in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, but that is something Belichick surely could fix. He never wanted to part ways with him in the first place, and probably never saw a path in which he could get him back. I still believe that at the end of the day, Tom Brady chooses to stay in New England and finish his career here. However, I would be lying if I said the chance to see a Jimmy Garoppolo and Bill Belichick reunion in New England does not intrigue me.