Tom Brady leaving for Buccaneers actually helped Patriots for this sole reason
By Jerry Trotta
Fans in New England can speak to how difficult it’s been adjusting to a world in which Tom Brady doesn’t play for the Patriots. Not only did they struggle in his absence, but he proceeded to set the league on fire in his debut campaign with the Buccaneers, ranking third in passing yards (4,633) and second in touchdowns (40) before winning his first-round playoff matchup.
As if that wasn’t enough torture for Patriots fans, Brady continuously spoke on how much he enjoyed playing in sunny conditions compared to Foxborough’s frigid climate. Some might not view that as a big deal, but it still had to sting a bit knowing that played a role in his happiness.
On top of that, it was recently pointed out that the Patriots got stuck with guard Joe Thuney, who accounted for a $15 million cap hit this season, because they were so desperate to convince Brady to stick around last offseason.
In light of all these hardships, it would appear that Brady left his former organization a single parting gift in his wake. Remember how the Patriots lost a third-round pick as a result of the Bengals videotaping scandal? Well, him leaving in free agency will help them recoup that selection.
The Patriots currently don't have a third-round pick because of that whole Bengals taping situation.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) January 15, 2021
But they'll almost certainly get one back because of this guy: https://t.co/Pm0WPPKpkp pic.twitter.com/7FWjJiIzG1
Was it ever really a doubt that Brady would come through for the Patriots at some point this season? Probably until this news dropped, but it still counts!
In all seriousness, this is a fairly significant development as New England could very easily draft a future stud with that third-round selection. Bill Belichick’s success rate with middle-round prospects is right up there with those taken in Round 1, so fans would be foolish to just roll their eyes at this news.
When you look at some of the game’s current stars, the likes of Russell Wilson, Travis Kelce, Alvin Kamara, and Tyrann Mathieu were all drafted in the third round by their respective organizations. That list expands even further if you consider guys like David Johnson, TY Hilton, Tyrann Mathieu, Frank Gore (!) and Kirk Cousins, each of whom consistently play at a high level.
The #Patriots are expected to face heavy punishment for Spygate 2.0. Our updated story: https://t.co/6QJQkCCVWt
— Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors) December 15, 2019
As a result of being caught illegally videotaping the Bengals sideline during Week 14 of last season, the Patriots, on top of forfeiting their 2021 third-round pick, were hit with a $1.1 million fine and their television crews were prohibited from shooting games in 2020.
Brady might not be able to negate all of those penalties, but the fact that he was able to do so with (at least in our eyes) the most significant of the three proves he will always be a Patriot at heart … even if he had no knowledge whatsoever that him signing elsewhere would lead to this.
