It sounds crazy to think about. Tom Brady is viewed by most as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He has six Super Bowl rings to prove it, more than anybody else ever. He’s played his entire career for the New England Patriots. One would imagine he retires with them. Except the business of football always gets in the way. The Patriots have one of the oldest rosters in the league and are coming off a disappointing wild card exit this season. Brady is a free agent on top of that. Some wonder if the team feels it might be time to end things.
The 42-year old quarterback didn’t sound like a guy who was contemplating retirement. While he would love to stay in New England, Brady made it clear that everything is on the table for 2020. That includes playing for a new team. Thus the Chicago Bears suddenly have an interesting dilemma on their hands. For all their talk about Mitch Trubisky and sticking to their former #2 overall pick, could they change gears and make a push for the winningest QB in NFL history?
A better question is would Brady himself even be interested in joining Chicago? Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe who has covered the quarterback for his entire career told NBC Sports he believes it’s possible.
“I think Tom would be agreeable to listening. If the Patriots don’t take care of business then those situations are good. The TB12 brand, he’s the best advertiser if he wants this to be a global entity if can show that he can play NFL quarterback at 45. That’s the promotional aspect of spreading the brand. If I were him, I would’ve retired last year. The confetti was falling on my head. Just won another Super Bowl. You’re 41. It would’ve been the perfect time to walk off. That hasn’t happened. Doesn’t feel like it’s going to happen. Chicago’s as good as the Chargers or Dolphins. Maybe better.
Tom Brady would certainly see the Bears as a challenge
One thing people know already is that Brady loves playing at Soldier Field. He’s beaten the Bears every time he’s played there. Truth be told, this comes down to a question of timing and logistics. Chicago would need to find the necessary money for a contract proposal to the quarterback. Even at his advanced age, the man is a top 15 player at his position. That will be expensive to acquire. If they clear that hurdle, then comes the hard part.
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Convincing Brady the Bears are an attractive destination.
Considering they just got done fielding the 29th ranked offense, that would be a tough sell. They have an excellent #1 wide receiver in Allen Robinson. Beyond that? Not many guys stuck out. Anthony Miller had a few nice games before injuring his shoulder again. Tarik Cohen can still be a threat at times. Other areas though like the offensive line and tight end were complete messes. Both seem in need of overhauls. The Bears would have to insist they can do this despite limited cap space and no 1st round pick.
They do have Matt Nagy who is widely respected for his player-friendly coaching style. He’s also a former quarterback, so he speaks the language. That is something Brady might prefer after years under the heavy hand of Bill Belichick.
Make no mistake. The odds of this happening are long. Still, it’s interesting to hear that the Bear might have a legitimate shot. Even if a small one.
