Tom Brady's bargain basement salary

[mgteich]

Let's see, I think I remember a guy who fit the following profile:

• Lightly regarded quarterback, very late draft choice.
• Eventually became star, starting quarterback, played in its championship game five times, and set many of the league's career passing records.
  
• After retiring from football, served in Congress for 18 years.
• Strong Presidential Candidate, later put Presidential Ticket as Vice President.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Kemp

.....The only difference is that Brady is much more revered and popular in New England than Jack Kemp ever was in NY.

.....Brady will win his presidential nomination/election. He is all about winning.

Brady is extremely unlikely to even live in New England after he retires. If he is a politician, it will be in California.

 

[TB_Helmet]

I think accepting less money to play football to help the team should be a factor in the Greatest QB Of All Time.

This is absolutely part of Brady's legacy as it demonstrates his commitment to winning and understanding of the team-building paradigm in the salary cap era. If you want to say that another QB would have won more Super Bowls if only he had a better defense, maybe you should look at the reasons WHY said QB didn't have a better defense. Was it because he accounted for 20% of the cap space?

Also, the argument that "Brady can afford to take less because his wife makes way more than he does" is a bit of a red herring. Flacco can afford to take 'only' 10 million a year if he wanted to, I'm sure he'd get by even if his wife stayed at home with the kids.

Finally, I don't think the Player's Union can ever complain that Brady is taking less and thus hurting the earning potential of other QBs. Brady put his name on the lawsuit against the NFL during the lockout and also won the most significant disciplinary fight of all time in a huge win for the players. He's done his part and way more.

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Brady is extremely unlikely to even live in New England after he retires. If he is a politician, it will be in California.

I'm not so sure about that.

They built a 20 million dollar home in Cali and then sold it to Dr. Dre... they're now building a mega mansion in Brookline, MA..

Brady would be able to win any office in Mass.. governor, senator, house rep.. whatever he wants he would get. .

He's a native to california, but they don't like him the way Boston does. He built his legacy here

 

[RobertWeathers]

For tax purposes he is better off moving out of this freaking state.

 

[zydecochris]

Brady is extremely unlikely to even live in New England after he retires. If he is a politician, it will be in California.

Others have posted about the Pats getting their draft picks back from Goodell.

Can't I have my own fantasy (Brady going to Congress from MA followed by running for President)? That has to be at least as realistic.

 

[zydecochris]

I'm not so sure about that.

They built a 20 million dollar home in Cali and then sold it to Dr. Dre... they're now building a mega mansion in Brookline, MA..

Brady would be able to win any office in Mass.. governor, senator, house rep.. whatever he wants he would get. .

He's a native to california, but they don't like him the way Boston does. He built his legacy here

I don't really know where they would live (obviously his wife's opinion would be very important on that issue, as it is with all of us married men). However, I agree, he would be like a king in New England. Can you even think of anyone that is more popular in a regional area that Brady is in New England?

 

[zydecochris]

Others have posted about the Pats getting their draft picks back from Goodell.

Can't I have my own fantasy (Brady going to Congress from MA followed by running for President)? That has to be at least as realistic.

At a 2021 Presidential News Conference:

New York Times Reporter: "President Brady, what do you think of the Recent Russian military overflights"?

Look from President Brady:


Vladimir Putin watching news conference: "Ohhhh Shhh___ttttt!!! Stop the overflights!!"

 

[mgteich]

I don't really know where they would live (obviously his wife's opinion would be very important on that issue, as it is with all of us married men). However, I agree, he would be like a king in New England. Can you even think of anyone that is more popular in a regional area that Brady is in New England?

NFL football is nowhere near what college basketball is in North Carolina, what college football is in the MidWest or the South, or even what high school football is in Texas. So, sure, I bet there are lots of people more popular than Brady is as a Republican in MA. You do know that we don't have New England elections?

 

[patfanken]

I've NEVER believed that Brady was "vastly" overpaid prior to the is year because of the huge upfront payment (IIR $33MM) he got when he first signed. However, that being said either this year or next will actually mark a 2 year stint where Brady's salary WILL be at a significant discount to what other top paid QB's get.

That could have occurred for a couple of reasons. 1) His salary for next 2 years might be reasonable for the risk the team took back then for the age he will be next year (39-40). Who know he would be playing THIS good.

2) Brady understands the first rule of capography. That for every dollar you spend on one player, you have one less to spend on everyone else. So as long as the Pats are within $10MM of the cap, he knows the Pats are spending reasonably close to the cap, and even if HE isn't getting the most money, he's likely in the top three. With the bottom line that most of the money is being spent by the organization

3. There is likely to be another very quietly worked out deal that will extend this contract out a few years. A deal that will give Brady some money over the last 2 years of the contract even if Brady is no longer with the team. (sometime after 2018)

 

[WinstonSmith]

I've NEVER believed that Brady was "vastly" overpaid prior to the is year because of the huge upfront payment (IIR $33MM) he got when he first signed. However, that being said either this year or next will actually mark a 2 year stint where Brady's salary WILL be at a significant discount to what other top paid QB's get.

That could have occurred for a couple of reasons. 1) His salary for next 2 years might be reasonable for the risk the team took back then for the age he will be next year (39-40). Who know he would be playing THIS good.

2) Brady understands the first rule of capography. That for every dollar you spend on one player, you have one less to spend on everyone else. So as long as the Pats are within $10MM of the cap, he knows the Pats are spending reasonably close to the cap, and even if HE isn't getting the most money, he's likely in the top three. With the bottom line that most of the money is being spent by the organization

3. There is likely to be another very quietly worked out deal that will extend this contract out a few years. A deal that will give Brady some money over the last 2 years of the contract even if Brady is no longer with the team. (sometime after 2018)

Good points. I would add 4. Brady wants to retire a Patriot.

 

[zydecochris]

NFL football is nowhere near what college basketball is in North Carolina, what college football is in the MidWest or the South, or even what high school football is in Texas. So, sure, I bet there are lots of people more popular than Brady is as a Republican in MA. You do know that we don't have New England elections?

All good points. Nolo contender.

I said New England instead of Massachusetts because I assumed Brady's popularity extended beyond Massachusetts (I didn't even know he was a Republican), but I don't live there so I wouldn't know. Perhaps my "Brady for MA Senate and then President" campaign came across a little more seriously than I intended. He has a lot to learn about lying before really running for office.

Regarding other people being more popular in the South, I guess I shouldn't need to have you point that out to me. I live in Birmingham, about 50 minutes from Tuscaloosa where Nick Saban rules as God-Emperor, hurling thunderbolts from heaven.

 

[mgteich]

2) Brady understands the first rule of capography. That for every dollar you spend on one player, you have one less to spend on everyone else. So as long as the Pats are within $10MM of the cap, he knows the Pats are spending reasonably close to the cap, and even if HE isn't getting the most money, he's likely in the top three. With the bottom line that most of the money is being spent by the organization

Every top quarterback "understands the first rule of capography", or their agent does. The point is that Brady has been willing to give serious discounts and other top quarterbacks (and less than top quarterbacks) are not willing to give serious discounts.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Every top quarterback "understands the first rule of capography", or their agent does. The point is that Brady has been willing to give serious discounts and other top quarterbacks (and less than top quarterbacks) are not willing to give serious discounts.

Agreed but TB12 was also the highest paid player in the NFL twice in his career. Its not like hes been taking hometown discounts every year for his career.

Check this out. Brady v Manning career earnings by year. Manning has beaten him badly here. The steep price to pay for helping the org win 4 Super Bowls

http://www.forbes.com/sites/vincent...dy-vs-peyton-manning-earnings-over-the-years/

 

[QuantumMechanic]

For tax purposes he is better off moving out of this freaking state.

Perhaps, but California is miles and miles worse.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Perhaps, but California is miles and miles worse.

Oh yea. I almost moved there for a job 10 years ago. MA is brutal but CA- especially property in The Valley is absurd.