New England Patriots’ superstar quarterback Tom Brady is set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 18 if the Patriots fail to make headway and secure his commitment.
Fans had hoped that a frank conversation between Brady and Patriots coach Bill Belichick would make a Brady return more likely.
Belichick had previously resisted speaking to Brady directly about his upcoming free agency.
Reports indicate that despite a telephone conversation earlier this week between the two icons of New England football, they were unable to find a lot of common ground regarding Brady’s contract situation.
This does not necessarily mean that there is no chance that the six-time Super Bowl champion Brady will re-sign with the Patriots. However, it makes it more difficult for the Patriots as Brady is a hot commodity on the open market. A number of teams have already expressed interest in signing him.
One of the most intriguing rumors is over San Francisco 49ers chasing after Brady. Brady who has played for the Patriots throughout his career but admitted that he grew up rooting for the49ers. Also in pursuit of Brady according to reports are the Tennessee Titans, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Los Angeles Chargers.
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The Buccaneers and the Titans are expected to take a cautious approach in wooing Brady, as both teams also have quarterbacks set to hit free agency in Jameis Winston and Ryan Tannehil. If they take an all-in approach, they may be left without a quarterback if Brady spurns them.
Rumors abound on the most important factor in Brady’s mind regarding his decision. Analyst Kurt Warner said that Brady’s choice likely boils down to staying with his current team if he feels he has nothing more to prove, or bolting to another team to prove that he can win without the Patriot organization behind him.
Observers noted that it was likely that Belichick, who has a reputation for being round around the edges and a tough businessman will find it difficult to convince Brady to return without softening up.
Brady expressed his intention to take things slowly regarding his pending free agency in a live stream hosted on Instagram, where he was seen with Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Brady said that he will be taking a vacation with his family for the next 10-12 days before making a decision on his future in the NFL.
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