Tom Brady changes his mind; tells New York reporters that he wants to play another ten years

[Silver Blue&Red]

If anyone can do it, he can. And you know what, I think he will come close, barring injury. This guy is on a mission to shut up a lot of people, including some of us.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

No the comment was that he wants to play another ten years, with each of those years consisting of ten years, for a total of 100 years.

 

[shmessy]

George Blanda played until he was 48. Why not Brady?

Everyone smoked back then.

 

[Marinlik]

One year, Brady's just gonna go the way of Manning. He might be able to get by on smarts just as well as Peyton is right now, probably even better, but his body will break down. It's just how that works. I wouldn't bet against him having another 5 years because he does seem to be in the best shape of his career, but 10 does seem like a stretch. Things change fast.

Agreed. I would love for Brady to play another 10 years. But I wouldn't bet on it, because we've seen how quickly QBs can decline when they are around 40. Just look at Favre who was the Iron Man QB and who looked really good on the Vikings, and then got injured and extremely quickly declined. Yes, Brady plays the game in a more safe way for his body and will probably avoid injury better, but when it hits, it can hit hard. Look at Manning too who is someone like Brady who gets the ball out right away. Then he had that neck surgery and now throws the ugliest ball in the league.

Of course they declined because of injury. But that's kind of the thing. When you get older the body gets injured more easily, and recovers slower. So it's much easier to get one of those injuries that curve balls your career. And when that curve ball hits at 40, it's much harder to get back on track compared to say when your 30.

Could Brady be the one to break this mold? If anyone will then I think it's him, because he's faster and more mobile than I've ever seen him now, and he throws as hard and accurate as ever. So he's not just any old guy. He's an old guy who's as well trained as he's ever been. But it's still hard not to look at all the other QBs at that age who's declined quickly and say it won't happen to him.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Garappolo will have to go on IR due to rigomortis

 

[Whitt25]

I've been watching this guy play since I was 13. I'm in my late 20's now. Dunno what I'll do when he finally retires...

 

[Boomer B]

As a fan, I don't know how I feel about this.

It's an awkward situation. Both Brady and Garoppolo are signed through 2017 -- and the Patriots can't expect to keep both for another contract. So let’s say Brady is playing at 85% percent of his current level in two years and wants to play through 2020. And let's assume that the Patriots could retain him at an affordable cost. It’d be foolish to let him go, right?

If that's the case, there’s simply no way the Patriots would be able to re-sign Garropplo when other teams can offer him starting money. And there’s no way Garoppolo would ever agree to be a backup for the first eight years of his career when other teams will give him a shot.

Again, as grateful as I am for Brady, I don't know how I feel about this.

If in 2017 Brady is still playing at a high level, we keep him, no questions asked. Brady at a high level enables us to challenge for a Super Bowl. No one knows if Garoppolo can even start in this league. There were people who actually believed we get 1st round picks for Hoyer and Mallet. Back ups are question marks until they prove it.

 

[JetFan79]

I've been watching this guy play since I was 13. I'm in my late 20's now. Dunno what I'll do when he finally retires...

Experience the pain most NFL fans do?

 

[Whitt25]

Experience the pain most NFL fans do?

Yeah, I'm not expecting anymore of this excellence when he (and sooner or later, Belichick) is gone. Thank god alcohol is a thing.

 

[OhExaulted1]

Probably. And it's not like his wife and him need the money. But the marketing and NYC itself (doesn't he have an apartment here and love the city?) can be a strong draw.

 

[RayClay]

Hilarious. He looks like a teenager and has actually improved his mobility from 2001 Brady. F them all, why not?

 

[upstater1]

I don't give one f.uck about Jimmy, we ride with Brady until the end like Thelma and Louise.

Absolutely. You never know what you have. No way do you move on from someone you know well--especially Brady. 85% of the GOAT is a Pro Bowl QB.

By the way, I draft Christian Hackenberg in the 5th round because I'm trading Jimmy Garopolo in the offseason.

 

[VectorPrime]

If the Patriots can trade Jimmy for perhaps the first pick in the 2nd round next year they should seriously consider it.

 

[shmessy]

It's not talked about enough, but it may be the most important development for the New England Patriots in years: Brady's mobility training prolonged his career.

It's literally a gamechanger. He has said recently that he adopted the tethered leash training after the 2013 season.

Last year before the Pats-Redskins preseason game down here, my nephew and I watched him for a good 90 minutes before the game run sprints in all directions tethered on a elastic leash like a rabid dog. He wasn't going to play that night (1st PS game in 2014) but he was easily the hardest working person on that field in the early evening.

I'm not sure what his future would look like right now if he didn't adopt that training.

Watch any game last year or this year and you can see his progress and development with his mobility in the pocket. I thought it reached its height in the Playoffs/SB last year (that 3rd and 14 pass to Edelman in the SB was one of the great, unsung QB mobility plays of all time given the circumstances). but he has only gotten better with it this year - - I did not think it possible. Some of his rollouts and step ups for TD passes to Edelman (or the one Sunday to Blount) are plays HE WAS INCAPABLE of years ago.

He is a DIFFERENT QB today. And a better one for it. It is almost as if he reinvented a new career.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

George Blanda played until he was 48. Why not Brady?

Blanda's last start at QB came when he was 41. After that he was a full time kicker with zero starts at QB, though he did do some mop up duty, rarely

George Blanda NFL & AFL Football Statistics | Pro-Football-Reference.com

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

I don't give one f.uck about Jimmy, we ride with Brady until the end like Thelma and Louise.

Mic drop please....

 

[JoeSixPat]

Garopollo could be out of the league before the GOAT

You can say the same thing about Goodell - but I don't think it's a question of "could"

Goodell is a huge liability for the owners in the next CBA negotiations

 

[TheGreatestEVER]

I don't think he will do it. However, if he kept playing for ten more years and somehow managed to keep his current rate of statistical production, he might end up with 700+ TDs, 250+ INTs, and 95000+ yards. That would be insane. Realistically though, max he plays 5 more years. He said he was human, but I am not so sure LOL.

 

[dannydyn]

Belichick may very well be in a wheelchair by then.

 

[Soul_Survivor88]

I don't give one f.uck about Jimmy, we ride with Brady until the end like Thelma and Louise.

Would you rather have a QB who's already hit his ceiling and will trend downwards the older he gets? Or a young QB with lots of upside, who will trend upwards with age?

I think that's the question the Patriots are faced with.