I’ll say it again: not giving Brady the extension he wanted was a bad move by the Patriots. For the first time, the Patriots themselves are “the doubters” that motivate Brady. He has talked about playing into his mid-40s for years. He has taken so many hometown discounts and increased the value of this franchise in a massive way. The Patriots should be bending over backwards to let Brady decide how long he wants to play for. While most NFL players don’t have the luxury of making these decisions, Brady is the greatest ever and one of the most beloved athletes in sports history (by his fans.). Instead he is uncertain about the next few years, whether he will need to put his kids into new schools and relocate the family, etc.
If for a couple of years the Patriots aren’t 1000% competitive due to their loyalty to Brady, then so be it. The guy has been far from Brett Favre in his overtures about wanting to continue playing...they have already moved on from Jimmy G. to ride out the Brady train. Brady is just synonymous with this dynasty and the Patriots greatest run in pro sports history. Don’t put the fans in a scenario where he’s playing for another team. Do the Lakers regret overpaying Kobe for his last few years? The Yankees with Derek Jeter? Absolutely not. This is one case where a year too late is indeed better than a hear too early. Fandom is a huge part of the NFL, and this is such an enormous thing for so many Patriots fans, keeping #12 though his retirement.