Patriots: Asante Samuel Jr. entering NFL bolsters Tom Brady’s legacy
By Jerry Trotta
The New England Patriots have been one of the most discussed teams in the NFL over the last week or so, and no, it’s had nothing to do with their free agent spending spree.
On the contrary, their around-the-clock coverage has centered on what they intend to do in the first round of the draft, as ESPN expert Todd McShay predicted that they will trade up to the No. 11 pick and select Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields in his latest mock.
Given how much that pick has been analyzed of late, perhaps we should start shining light on other compelling draft storylines that involve the Patriots.
As it turns out, it wasn’t all that difficult to find a mind-bending storyline.
We all remember Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel, right? 18-0 season? Huge part of the whole machine? Good.
Well, his son Asante Samuel Jr., is a part of this year’s draft pool and is widely projected to be a second- or third-round pick.
To put some context on the absurdity behind Tom Brady’s ageless career, try to wrap your minds around this mind-blowing fact that made the rounds on social media over the weekend. How…is this possible?
And Antoine Winfield Jr won a Super Bowl with Brady as a teammate. His dad played in the league 14 years when Brady was playing https://t.co/dmUrfNX4xh
— trey wingo (@wingoz) April 4, 2021
Asante Samuel Jr. entering the NFL will leave Patriots fans questioning everything about life.
How…how is that even possible? Samuel, of course, played five seasons with the Patriots after they drafted him in the fourth round of the 2003 draft, three years after Brady was drafted.
Samuel enjoyed a fantastic career, winning two Super Bowls (both with the Pats) and amassing two Pro Bowl nods and one All-Pro selection. He led the league in interceptions and passes defended on two occasions and was legitimately one of the best CBs of his generation.
However, Samuel’s career only lasted 11 seasons, as he retired following the 2013 season. To think that Brady is still going strong eight years later and just signed a new contract extension with the Buccaneers despite entering the league three years after Samuel is mesmerizing.
It’s duly noted that quarterbacks have a longer shelf life than cornerbacks, but what Brady is doing — playing well into his 40s and doing so at an elite level — has transcended what we’ve come to expect from today’s gunslinger.
Why else do you think superstars like Russell Wilson (32) and Aaron Rodgers (37) have both come out and said that they want to play into their early-to-mid 40s? Even Drew Brees, a future first ballot Hall of Famer, came up short in trying to squeeze every last second out of his career.
Tom Brady reached agreement with the Buccaneers today on a four-year contract extension that voids to a one-year extension that locks him into Tampa through the 2022 season, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2021
When all was said and done, Brees, for as good as he was in the regular season, was so limited physically that he was ultimately the main reason why the Saints came up short in their pursuit of a championship during his final couple years in the league.
The moral of the story? What Brady is doing is completely unprecedented and he doesn’t get nearly enough credit for it. The media will always find ways to critique him, but perhaps the next generation of former teammates entering the league while he’s still dominating and winning championships will change that narrative a bit.
