Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs after leading the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl victories. He understands the business decisions in the NFL, but is still surprised by Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He believes that someone made a grave error.
“I don’t know what’s going on inside there, but somebody made a mistake,” Montana said during a phone interview with USA Today. “I think when you look at the whole situation, you try to figure out how you want to get away from things that are there. I had a different story, where they had made a decision. He, obviously, they never would have gotten rid of. I still don’t understand how New England let him get away. I don’t understand that.”
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As he continued to explain, Montana is well aware of the business decisions that can impact a player’s tenure with a specific team. He was traded from the 49ers to the Chiefs in order for backup Steve Young to take over as the starter. Brady, however, opted out of his contract so he could test free agency.
The Hall of Fame QB in Montana spoke with Brady prior to Super Bowl LIV, and he believes that he has an idea about what the six-time champion is searching for. One of the common beliefs is that Brady “didn’t feel appreciated,” but Montana thinks there is a different reason.
“It’s not about appreciation. He wants control. I mean, he wants a lot of control,” Montana said. “I don’t know what Tampa Bay gave him, but at some point in time, you’re just a player. You can try to get what you can and do what you want, but in the end, you’re still not in the hierarchy when it comes to hiring people, firing people and all that.
“I don’t know exactly what he’s looking for, but my understanding was that he’s just looking for more control of the offense. But I don’t know. I haven’t had a long conversation with him; I talked to him a little bit at the Super Bowl, but not enough time to really get in-depth.”
The 2019 Patriots offense was known for constant changes on offense due to injuries. Brady was left without many options throughout the year. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, on the other hand, have a very talented group of options, including Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Having better receivers doesn’t automatically guarantee that Brady will immediately lead the Buccaneers back to the Super Bowl for the first time since Jan. 26, 2003. Montana still believes that Brady will enjoy his experience working with head coach Bruce Arians and the surrounding talent.
“I think it’s going to be fun for him,” Montana said. “Probably for the first time in a long time he’ll be having fun, if I understand what he’s been saying, or what I’ve been reading.”
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