When the New England Patriots acquired wide receiver Antonio Brown on Saturday evening, the move was met with considerable skepticism. Some thought that this maneuver had been planned by head coach Bill Belichick back in March, including the stop in Oakland. Others, however, simply scoffed at the idea that Brown would succeed with Tom Brady is his quarterback.
Whether or not he will succeed is yet to be determined, but Brady is willing to take a chance. According to NBC’s Al Michaels, the star quarterback is “one million percent” on board with the decision to bring Brown to Foxborough.
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Brady is so fired up that he actually offered to let the receiver stay at his house until he finds a place to live.
.@TomBrady has offered @AB84 to move in with him and Gisele until he gets settled in New England.pic.twitter.com/LrfqAMutl1
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 8, 2019
While this is a very charitable gesture by the Super Bowl-winning quarterback, will it help him and Brown build an impressive relationship? There are many reasons for concern, including the former Raiders receiver’s penchant for questionable social media decisions and his less-than-precise route running.
Brady demands perfection from his surrounding players, which is why receivers such as Julian Edelman, Wes Welker, and Deion Branch have all found success when paired with him. Others, such as Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson struggled during brief stints in New England. Talent is never a question for the players that don’t jell with Brady; the failure is generally due to freelancing on routes or struggling to learn the playbook.
Throughout his career, Brown has been known as someone that excels when freelancing on his routes. Many of his big plays in Pittsburgh came as a result of him doing his own thing and Ben Roethlisberger rifling a pass in his direction.
Brady and the Patriots, on the other hand, have been far more successful when the receivers run precise routes and execute to perfection. “Do Your Job” is the mantra in New England, and this includes running routes.
That being said, the opportunity to win a Super Bowl for the first time in his career is a very good reason for Brown to change his ways and follow the Patriot Way. Maybe living with Brady for a spell will help the pair build chemistry and figure out what works the best when trying to make plays. Or, the situation could become combustible in a matter of days. With Antonio Brown, everything is on the table.
