Cam Newton: "It's really put-up or shut-up time"

[sb1]

Good team, you say? Helluva TE crew huh. Team was so loaded Brady needed to challenge himself by leaving.

spoiled brats here. We’d have won three more games with Brady.

again, y’all fail to admit that here. We would’ve won three more games and been blown out in wild card, AND no Mac.

qb on a pedestal stuff we had holes.

Yeah. Pats would have surely extended their non losing season streak with Brady but there was no guarantee they make the playoffs. They were not close to the playoffs last year. 3 more wins get them to 10-6. Dolphins missed out at 10-6.

The worst defense in the division by a lot and bottom 5 in football and that includes playing the inept Jets twice. Offense well... nuff said. I don't even think it was Bill's best year coaching. Not sure they had 3 more wins in them tbh.

 

[Sicilian]

Yeah. Pats would have surely extended their non losing season streak with Brady but there was no guarantee they make the playoffs. They were not close to the playoffs last year. 3 more wins get them to 10-6. Dolphins missed out at 10-6.

The worst defense in the division by a lot and bottom 5 in football and that includes playing the inept Jets twice. Offense well... nuff said. I don't even think it was Bill's best year coaching. Not sure they had 3 more wins in them tbh.

This isn't true at all. They may have had the worst RUN defense in the division, but they allowed fewer yards than any of the other teams except Buffalo (who allowed a whopping 20 less for the season) and allowed fewer points per game than anyone but Miami (22.1 to 21.1). The Jets allowed 6.5 more points per game than the Patriots, and over 30 yards per game more. They were by far the worst defense in the AFCE. Patriots defense would have been a top unit in the league if not for their run D.

 

[sb1]

This isn't true at all. They may have had the worst RUN defense in the division, but they allowed fewer yards than any of the other teams except Buffalo (who allowed a whopping 20 less for the season) and allowed fewer points per game than anyone but Miami (22.1 to 21.1). The Jets allowed 6.5 more points per game than the Patriots, and over 30 yards per game more. They were by far the worst defense in the AFCE. Patriots defense would have been a top unit in the league if not for their run D.

That's true, the Jets defense was terrible.

In DVOA Pats were the 25th ranked defense in the league and lowest in the division. Thought they were bottom 5 but yeah maybe that was just their run defense.

 

[stcjones]

Cam Newton: "It's really put-up or shut-up time"

The Patriots drafted Mac Jones with the 15th pick of this year's draft, setting him up to become New England's quarterback of the future.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

I'd give the guy this... he may not have been the world's greatest QB since he got here... but he's been a pretty darn good Patriot.

Yeah I’m thinking that he is going with the Shut up option….but yes he has been a great teammate and Patriot ….wish him well if he gets cut!

 

[stcjones]

View attachment 34016

Is that Maxine Waters or Mrs Jefferson?!

 

[moosekill]

As hard as you try to play the fair and rational Brady supporter your bitterness dominates. Out of one side of your mouth comes the "I don't fault Tom for leaving, leaving, blah, blah, blah". Sounds so fair and supportive. But then a couple of sentences later it's " he just wants fame and money and everything is all about him". Right. You dont fault him but you sure make it look like his leaving was selfish out of the other side of your mouth. Pink hats still like him? I'm no pink hat. Please do not define Brady fans with 5th grade level insults. The vast majority of Pats fans are still Brady fans and rooted for him to get his 7th. Ive moved on but only bitter butt hurt Pats fans are the only ones that have moved on the way you have.

Tom Brady left the Patriots because he could get more money and he thought another team was a better fit for him. No matter how much you wish he loved New England, and loved the fact you rooted for him, he left for more money and a chance to get more fame. Being a Tom Brady fan doesn't change that, and stating the truth doesn't make me bitter, simply honest. Professional football is a business and Tom went to a place that was a better fit for him. The Patriots had an offer on the table for him, and he took another one he liked better.

You being butt hurt that I stated that doesn't change it, grow up and move on. He is no longer a member of the Patriots. This is a Patriots fan site, not a Tom Brady fan site. I rooted for him to beat the Chiefs, glad he did. Doesn't change the fact that he decided money and fame were more important than retiring a Patriot.

 

[203Pat]

I can't think of a dumber thing to say than "Brady left for more fame". One of the most famous athletes in the world in a top 5 American media market needed more fame so he went to a podunk market with a lousy fanbase in a state where NFL football is an afterthought.

 

[moosekill]

I can't think of a dumber thing to say than "Brady left for more fame". One of the most famous athletes in the world in a top 5 American media market needed more fame so he went to a podunk market with a lousy fanbase in a state where NFL football is an afterthought.

He is also one of the richest professional athletes in the world, yet he left for more money too. I know you aren't really all that bright, but why do you think he left? Because Bill was mean to him?

 

[Chevy]

Tom set his value, the Patriots could not match that value, Tom left. Regardless of what his personal financial situation was/is, it has no bearing on what he feels his value is. And it shouldn't.

It worked out for Tom, obviously. Good for him.

 

[PatsWSB47]

Tom Brady left the Patriots because he could get more money and he thought another team was a better fit for him. No matter how much you wish he loved New England, and loved the fact you rooted for him, he left for more money and a chance to get more fame. Being a Tom Brady fan doesn't change that, and stating the truth doesn't make me bitter, simply honest. Professional football is a business and Tom went to a place that was a better fit for him. The Patriots had an offer on the table for him, and he took another one he liked better.

You being butt hurt that I stated that doesn't change it, grow up and move on. He is no longer a member of the Patriots. This is a Patriots fan site, not a Tom Brady fan site. I rooted for him to beat the Chiefs, glad he did. Doesn't change the fact that he decided money and fame were more important than retiring a Patriot.

Sounds sincere to me......

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

He is also one of the richest professional athletes in the world, yet he left for more money too.

All to take $15M less annually than Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes

You were so much better when we thought you were just a hater and not a mouth breathing hater. Your conclusions are so laughable that even the Team Bill cult isn’t going near this.

Brady left for a handful of reasons, money and fame being none. The primary reasons were (a) to win and have a talented supporting cast, and (b) to be part of a team’s future plans whereby he can stop playing when he feels it’s time, rather than being forced out and treated with extreme skepticism due to his age.

The other reasons had to do with secondary issues like rest/practice flexibility, possibly weather, change of scenery, wanting a new challenge, etc. But those perks materialized from the first two issues.

This isn’t even reading between lines - it’s been reported by so many people.

So hilarious how a guy who asked for 65% of elite QB money supposedly left to chase dollars. Kraft even acknowledged the Patriots would have matched the offer but it wasn’t about money.

 

[‘Mondre]

I can't think of a dumber thing to say than "Brady left for more fame". One of the most famous athletes in the world in a top 5 American media market needed more fame so he went to a podunk market with a lousy fanbase in a state where NFL football is an afterthought.

Let’s not flatter ourselves here. If he went to the jest, sf, chi... they would’ve become the center of the nfl universe. Our offense sucked. Good line, terrible weapons (poor drafting, hemorrhaging talent out of self righteousness)...

these boson pats fans think too highly of the logo and city. Nobody’s as jealous of Massachusetts as you think. Again, we should’ve parted ways after ‘17. Been better for everybody plus Bill gets for more years to potentially thrive after a rebuild (which were in Year 2 of rn)

 

[Pats1971]

He is also one of the richest professional athletes in the world, yet he left for more money too. I know you aren't really all that bright, but why do you think he left? Because Bill was mean to him?

He left for more money? lol. So after 19 years money meant something to him now?

 

[‘Mondre]

He left for more money? lol. So after 19 years money meant something to him now?

Right. Offense sucked and trending downward, no chance at ring. Other talent probably complained too (ab, gronk). Just playing for rings at this point. Proved everything else. I’d have left.

 

[50-yard-line]

And when all's said and done, there's going to be a statue of Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. outside of Gillette Stadium (and every other subsequent Patriots stadium) and only the crazy of the crazy yahoo fans are going to say anything about it.

And every older Patriot fan will look at it with gratitude for having witnessed the greatest and least likely run in US sports history, and every younger Patriots fan will tell their kids that this was the greatest QB who ever played the game, and wax poetic to them, and their grandkids, about the 20 years of amazing events.

And ALL of them will sigh wistfully and sadly that the GOAT ended his career in a different jersey.

 

[50-yard-line]

I can't think of a dumber thing to say than "Brady left for more fame". One of the most famous athletes in the world in a top 5 American media market needed more fame so he went to a podunk market with a lousy fanbase in a state where NFL football is an afterthought.

I do think he wanted to prove he could win without BB, though. After last year, the mediots who don't call him the GOAT decreased exponentially. If he had retired in New England, given the trajectory at that time (I'd love to have him with THIS team, but who knew?), then the debate would still rage.

Now, it's over and will remain over until a Mahomes or someone steps up and does a Michael Jordan imitation and stretches it out over at least a decade. Then they can legitimately argue again.

 

[203Pat]

Let’s not flatter ourselves here. If he went to the jest, sf, chi... they would’ve become the center of the nfl universe. Our offense sucked. Good line, terrible weapons (poor drafting, hemorrhaging talent out of self righteousness)...

these boson pats fans think too highly of the logo and city. Nobody’s as jealous of Massachusetts as you think. Again, we should’ve parted ways after ‘17. Been better for everybody plus Bill gets for more years to potentially thrive after a rebuild (which were in Year 2 of rn)

Who is flattering themselves? I am not comparing Tampa vs Boston as cities. The dingus who I responded to said Brady left for more fame to which I responded about the media markets. I lived down it Tampa for almost a decade. It is a podunk town as far as a national scale goes. Yes it may snow in Boston and yes it may not be New York or LA media marketwise but it is a significantly bigger market than Tampa, Florida.

We never should have "parted ways" with Brady. Bill should have done a better job drafting and building the roster. It is pretty evident Brady can still play at a very high level and it is pretty obvious Brady has done a significantly better job than Bill has at his job since 2017 so tell me why it is Brady who should have been ridden out of town?

 

[203Pat]

I do think he wanted to prove he could win without BB, though. After last year, the mediots who don't call him the GOAT decreased exponentially. If he had retired in New England, given the trajectory at that time (I'd love to have him with THIS team, but who knew?), then the debate would still rage.

Now, it's over and will remain over until a Mahomes or someone steps up and does a Michael Jordan imitation and stretches it out over at least a decade. Then they can legitimately argue again.

I agree with the fact that on some level both sides wanted to prove they could do it without the other but I also think had Bill put a decent roster around Brady and been willing to pay him $25 mill (which Kraft said he would do) Brady still would have stayed. I think it was made evident to Brady in August of 2019 that Bill wanted to move on and that is why he was pissy the minute he signed that deal. He knew that he was here for one more year with a bad roster and a coach who no longer wanted him.

 

[50-yard-line]

I agree with the fact that on some level both sides wanted to prove they could do it without the other but I also think had Bill put a decent roster around Brady and been willing to pay him $25 mill (which Kraft said he would do) Brady still would have stayed. I think it was made evident to Brady in August of 2019 that Bill wanted to move on and that is why he was pissy the minute he signed that deal. He knew that he was here for one more year with a bad roster and a coach who no longer wanted him.

Probably true - but it's also true that in a weird way, the Pats lucked into the money they had to build the roster this year (the opt-outs) in addition to using the money they would have had to pay Brady. That 2019 team was played out with older vets, their second/third contract guys poached, crappy draft positions made worse by stolen picks and by getting more expensive vet players for picks to extend the dynasty.

So I'm not sure how much they might have been able to better the roster in time for Brady. Particularly given what happened with Gordon and AB and Sanu, and my serious doubts that Gronk would have come back to play in New England.

 

[Sicilian]

Probably true - but it's also true that in a weird way, the Pats lucked into the money they had to build the roster this year (the opt-outs) in addition to using the money they would have had to pay Brady. That 2019 team was played out with older vets, their second/third contract guys poached, crappy draft positions made worse by stolen picks and by getting more expensive vet players for picks to extend the dynasty.

So I'm not sure how much they might have been able to better the roster in time for Brady. Particularly given what happened with Gordon and AB and Sanu, and my serious doubts that Gronk would have come back to play in New England.

I think the available money was also compounded by the dip in the salary cap, which presented a very unique opportunity to be aggressive in free agency. Obviously we have to see if it works out (they wouldn't be the first team to not get a great return on a FA splurge, but we're all hopeful), but that was a scenario that was impossible to predict at the end of the 2019 season when the Brady decisions were made. Obviously Brady made out well, but I do wonder if the Pats would have extended more to keep him if they'd known they could completely reload for 2021, and (without the benefit of knowing he'd win #7 in Tampa), would Brady have been okay with a mediocre 2020 knowing that reload was coming.

All speculation, fun to ponder and nothing more though. What happened, happened, and changing one thing would have cascaded into a future none of us can predict.