Tom Brady throwing to ‘former Patriots receivers’ is a gut punch

The New England Patriots had to move on from Tom Brady last offseason when he shockingly decided to sign a two-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Of course, the Patriots responded by signing Cam Newton as a stopgap option and his struggles under center underlined why Brady seemingly didn’t think twice about leaving.

The wound of Brady’s departure may never heal, and Patriots fans are likely already mentally preparing themselves for his return to Foxborough in October.

Though it figures to be a game-of-the-year contender, the matchup really couldn’t come at a worse time for Patriots fans, who are just starting to adjust to life without Brady.

We hate to rub salt in the wound, but Brady continues to deliver gut punches to the Foxborough faithful.

What cruel tactic did the 43-year-old let fly this time? Connecting with a trio of youngsters with some of his trademark deep passes, but calling them by the names of former Pats receivers, including Julian Edelman, Wes Welker and Danny Amendola.

Tom Brady using former Patriots WR names is a tough watch.

Objectively speaking, this is awesome content. When you consider the travel restrictions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the real Brady, Edelman, Welker and Amendola probably haven’t tossed the pigskin around together in four years.

However, why’d he have to do this to us? Couldn’t be calling these kids Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, huh? No Cameron Brate or Scotty Miller references?

Tom’s a Super Bowl champion in Tampa now, and made it extremely clear all offseason where his long-term allegiance lies. But the memories of the guys in New England will apparently always linger, no matter how he feels these days about Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick. What Brady, Welker, Amendola and Edelman did together will eternally matter to the region, and clearly those are the guys who are still in the back of TB12’s head when he uncorks a pass on vacation.

(Also, these kids are pretty good.)

So…where was the big man? Gronk, where you at? Turns out the turncoat who followed Brady to Tampa had other plans.

As cool as it was to see the “band back together,” however, this was just torture from a Patriots fan’s perspective. Anyone else watch this video and start reminiscing about the New England teams from the 2010s? Thanks a lot, Brady. Now we have to spend the rest of our Tuesday watching YouTube highlights of his best passes to each of the three former Pats receivers.

If this was a test run for our emotions, Week 4 of next season is going to be brutal.

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