Saving the Team Millions
Photo courtesy of Buisness Insider
Tom Brady has been the ultimate team player. He’s never been the highest paid quarterback in the NFL, despite being the most successful. According to Business Insider, Tom has left about $60 million dollars on the table throughout his career, and that is the conservative number. It’s possible the total is upward to $100 million.
New England has restructured Brady’s contract with two years left most in his career. This offseason however, no new deal has been reached with the star quarterback.
Photo courtesy of the Boston Globe
Tom Brady has helped the team financially with hopes the money will be spent to add talent on both sides of the ball. With September approaching quickly, I’m starting to think that there is no restructure coming this offseason. There is a silver lining for Patriots fans, however. Tom Brady will be at camp not just on time, but early according to his Instagram. Since we have gotten to know TB12 throughout the years, we have realized that he genuinely just loves playing football. Money has taken a backseat to winning, teammates and the joy football brings him.
An unusual 2017 season along with Super Bowl 52 has some asking, would paying Tom Brady “Jimmy G money” make him happier here? I don’t believe so, I think he wants his trainer Alex Guerrero back, that’s it. He wants to play until he’s 45 and more money won’t help him achieve that, his trainer will.
Photo courtesy of the Boston Globe
Guerrero and Brady vs. Belichick
All the reports of tension between Bill Belichick and Tom Brady seem to stem from Alex Guerrero, Tom’s trainer and buisness partner. Speculation that Tom is unhappy and ready to retire because of money is not the case at all. He’s never been about the money, and at age 41 I expect it to stay that way. Sure, maybe a contract extension with some money isn’t a bad thing to anyone in this league. However, at this point in Brady’s career it is more important to have his trainer closely involved.
$60 million is what this Boston legend has left out on the table throughout his career to help Bill Belichick build a better team around him. Now it’s time for Bill to return the favor and do what’s best for the team- just like Brady has done every year. To maximize the window the Patriots should bring Alex back in to make Brady happy. In addition, they should use some more of Tom’s generosity to pay the second most important player on the offense: Rob Gronkowski. Regardless of what happens, in the end the Patriots will be contending like usual, with or without a big contract for Tom Brady. Ring number six means a lot more to this QB than a huge contract.