How long is the window for Brady?

[Connecticut]

I'm sure this has been brought up quite a bit already. If, and there is no reason we can't, continue to put a decent team around Tom, how many more seasons can we expect him to go for?

In that time, how many more rings will he get?

He's 37 now. I can see him playing until 42-43. I can see him winning another 2.

 

[PATS16N0]

We can expect him to carry a Patriot team on his shoulders for another 3 or 4, and be capable of playing with a good one for another 10 or 20.

 

[New England Pride]

No offense but I'd like to just enjoy how ever many Brady years we have left. I grow tired of debating how many grains of sand are left in the hourglass.

 

[PatsfanCP]

If the Pats go back to back I want Brady to Retire

 

[FortressX]

The window closed in ____ because BB didn't go "all in" and get him enough "weapons".

 

[Bella*chick]

Brady decides. Not me.

 

[RobertWeathers]

We can expect him to carry a Patriot team on his shoulders for another 3 or 4, and be capable of playing with a good one for another 10 or 20.

I am highly skeptical that TB can carry the team for 4 more years. I'd love to see it though..

 

[patsinthesnow]

It's tough to stick to what I said right after Garoppolo was drafted after seeing 37 year old Brady tear apart the LOB, but I'll do it anyway:

I said right after the draft that the 2016 offseason could be the moment we never think will happen could happen. Brady becomes tradeable in 2016 due to his contract.

Garoppolo entering his third season may be just as good a QB as a 39 year old Brady. What do we think BB will do then?*

I still think Brady ends his career taking over for Kaepernick's failures in San Fran for his hometown team.*

*If Garoppolo isn't the real deal, this is all moot. But everything pre-draft about his elite qualities showed in the preseason games. In two years he may be a top 10 QB.

I'm still going with history that age 36-39 is where 95+% of QBs decline rapidly (exceptions are Favre and Moon). I also still believe in Jimmy G after what we've seen. Garoppolo will be our starting QB in 2016 and Brady will either be retired or in San Fran.

I guess I'll update this by saying if Brady goes back to back, maybe he retires Elway style with 5 rings.

Also, Brady is clearly our QB next year, but IMO we will have two starting caliber QBs in 2015 training camp: The best QB in the NFL and a solid starter. Jimmy G will be light years better than the disaster he was during last year's camp sessions I attended.

 

[RecoveringCowboy]

If the Pats go back to back I want Brady to Retire

A few like to leave on top and avoid tanking, like Peyton may be doing.

 

[RecoveringCowboy]

CBS Sports had a report Brady is paying close attention to what he eats, workouts, and is in great shape.

I'm cautiously optimistic there are more than two or three years left.

But his father predicted he will probably play until he tanks and have an ending like Aikman.

 

[BobDigital]

I think Brady is going to play at a high enough level to win till he is 42... so i think 5 years.

IDK if he will be here for that but Favre played well when he was 41 and Brady takes care of himself better than Favre.

Also his game is short passing mostly which is the last thing to go.

 

[BobDigital]

CBS Sports had a report Brady is paying close attention to what he eats, workouts, and is in great shape.

I'm cautiously optimistic there are more than two or three years left.

But his father predicted he will probably play until he tanks and have an ending like Aikman.

That is not so bad really. Isn't it better in some ways to make sure you leave everything on the table and KNOW there was no hope for 1 last ring? As opposed to retiring while still playing fairly well and thinking "did i have 1 more year?" "If things went right MAYBE..."

 

[Saint Pat]

one, maybe two more rings.

 

[Patjew]

I'm 41 and still in shape like a Greek god so I guess Brady can play at least a few more years.

 

[Gronk]

If I'm guessing I'd say 3-4 years where he can play like he played this year. And then maybe 2-3 after that where you might see another decline. I, like most of us I think, take him at his word that he wants to play as long as he can. I also think his father was probably onto something with the idea that he'll want to play - and want to play in New England - longer than other people think he should, or maybe will allow him to. Even most of the "negatives" anyone could spot in his game are only negatives with regard to himself at a younger age. You need to be able to do everything well to an extent but with BB constructing a roster that is malleable week-to-week in terms of gameplan there's no reason to believe he won't continue to be the best option at QB for several years to come. Plenty of QBs with more mobility, "better" deep balls, and far less mileage on their arm fail to consistently move around the pocket as well, fail to make proper decisions, and fail to make consistenly quality throws in comparison to TB. And that's to say nothing of his leadership and intangible presence.

Despite everything we've seen to the contrary I'd like to think (and do believe) that he is considered a special case by both the Kraft family and BB, and there would be a respectful "out" provided for him should they believe he's no longer the best option to be the quarterback for the Patriots.

So to that end, I'd rather watch him suck for the 2019 Patriots than do anything anywhere else, that I know. The best advice, already mentioned, is probably just to enjoy the ride while it continues to last. Watching his career has been as enjoyable a sports fan experience as I could possibly ask for, knowing there's even more to come is just gravy. Nothing that could happen from this point could convince me that he's not the GOAT. But it's human nature to wonder, and speculate.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I'm 41 and still in shape like a Greek god so I guess Brady can play at least a few more years.

Would that Greek god be Bacchus, perchance?

 

[Patjew]

Would that Greek god be Bacchus, perchance?

Yes, but still...!

 

[Deus Irae]

The question depends on multiple factors, none of which we can know until the future becomes the present:

Will it be a slow decline, or will he fall off the table?
Who'll be the coach when the decline really starts?
Will the team be good enough to carry him during some of a (possible) gradual decline?
Will money be an issue?

There's probably another issue or two that I'm not putting in the list, but that's enough for me to say

"Hell, nobody knows, man."

 

[PATS16N0]

It's tough to stick to what I said right after Garoppolo was drafted after seeing 37 year old Brady tear apart the LOB, but I'll do it anyway:



I'm still going with history that age 36-39 is where 95+% of QBs decline rapidly (exceptions are Favre and Moon). I also still believe in Jimmy G after what we've seen. Garoppolo will be our starting QB in 2016 and Brady will either be retired or in San Fran.

I guess I'll update this by saying if Brady goes back to back, maybe he retires Elway style with 5 rings.

Also, Brady is clearly our QB next year, but IMO we will have two starting caliber QBs in 2015 training camp: The best QB in the NFL and a solid starter. Jimmy G will be light years better than the disaster he was during last year's camp sessions I attended.

lol @ this

 

[convertedpatsfan]

If the Pats go back to back I want Brady to Retire

I understand the sentiment of wanting to go out on top. But Brady is the ultimate competitor. He's shaped his whole life around playing football. There is no way he walks away from the game. He will play every last snap he can, and that's the way it should be.

The Elway story is nice, but what about the 3-peat? A chance to finish .500 in the Super Bowl after 3 early losses. It would have been tough, but he walked away from the challenge. That's not Tom.

When Tom is done, it's because he can't play anymore. But he's not going to leave a moment earlier than he has to.