Tom Brady has left the New England Patriots and it looks like he will sign a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. But does this mean Antonio Brown will join Brady in the near future? Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network reported on Wednesday, teams interested in Brady were under the impression that he wanted to bring Brown with him. Brady and Brown played together in one game last year, and Brown caught four passes for 56 yards in one touchdown in the Patriots win against the Miami Dolphins.
What Rapoport and Pelissero reported goes back to what ESPN shared earlier this month. Dan Graziano and Jeremy Flower of the network said Brady and Brown have been in constant communication since Brown was cut from the team, and Brady wants to play with him again this fall. The two reporters wrote: “According to one of Brown’s attorneys, Brady has told Brown to keep mentally and physically strong so the two can reunite on the field at Brady’s next stop. Anything concerning Brown should be taken with not a grain but a bucket of salt at this point, but it does seem as if Brady and Brown formed at least some level of connection in their incredibly brief time together in New England.”
Videos by PopCulture.com
The Buccaneers haven’t made things official with Brady but he has reportedly agreed to a contract worth $30 million per season. While Brown would be a strong addition to the receiving corps, the Bucs already have two strong receivers in Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Godwin posted 1,333 yards and nine touchdowns last year while Evans tallied 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns. Evans has been in the league for six seasons and has posted at least 1,000 yards each year.
When Brown was cut from the Patriots, Brady didn’t share his thoughts on the situation. However, he did talk about how his job was to build his teammates as much as he could.
“There’s a lot of human elements and I think because as a player and a person I care deeply about my teammates,” Brady said. “I want everyone to be the best they can possibly be. From the day I started with this team, even back I’d say in college, it’s such a tight-knit group and you want everyone to become the best they can possibly be and you try to provide leadership. You try to care for people. You try to provide whatever you think you can to help them reach their highest potential, whatever situation it is.
“I’ve had a lot of teammates over the years. You invest not just your head, but your heart. You invest your soul. That is what makes a great team. That is what makes a great brotherhood. I think in the end, that is the endearing trait about sports.”