1. New England Patriots
There are so many reasons for Tom Brady to leave the New England Patriots. New opportunities in Los Angeles, finally getting that massive salary that he did not get in New England, an escape from Bill Belichick to prove that he, not Belichick, was the main reason why the Patriots won six Super Bowl rings.
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All that is speculation, all that is fodder. Could Brady have reservations about the Patriots, Belichick getting most of the credit and always taking a team-friendly deal as a favor? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, it is still hard to see Brady walk away from the team he has called home for two decades.
The only thing that could drive Brady out is if the Patriots simply do not offer him what he is asking for and another team does or if Belichick himself wants to move on. As long as Brady gets a respectable offer from the Patriots then they have to be the favorites.
Brady doesn’t need the money. And at this point, it might just be more of a respect thing in principle than the money itself. This is probably why Brady is drawing this thing out: to flex his muscles.
I still think Brady is someone who cares about his legacy first and foremost and the Patriots present the best situation to win, even if they had a disappointing season last year. The Patriots can never be ruled out with Belichick and Brady and Brady returning would give the duo a chance to get Super Bowl ring number seven.
That would put Belichick and Brady alone on the top of the mountain. They alone would have more Super Bowls than any other franchise in the history of the league. That has to be intriguing to Brady.
So while the case for the LA Chargers definitely is intriuging, I think the ball is more in the Patriots’ court than people realize.