Tom Brady's return to New England is arguably the most anticipated regular season contest in the history of the NFL. The man carried the Patriots to six Super Bowl wins throughout two decades so to see him coming back to the field he once dominated is definitely surreal.

While there are a handful of reasons that factored into Tom Brady's eventual departure from the Patriots, NFL insider Ian Rapoport summed it up with two simple bullet points. Take notes folks if you want to school your uncle on the #facts when football inevitably comes up during Thanksgiving.

#1 – Patriots allowed Brady to be a Free Agent

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft agreed to a contract stipulation with Brady that they would not be allowed to use the franchise tag on him, essentially guaranteeing that if he were to return to the Patriots, it would be on his own volition. This allowed Tom Brady to become a free agent and test the waters, something he's always wanted to experience, which allowed him to get courted by other teams.

#2 – Money Guarantee

The money figure Tom Brady eventually got from the Buccaneers, around $30 million in annual salary, was reportedly the same as what the Patriots were offering. The difference was that New England was only willing to guarantee one year of said contract, while the Bucs were willing to do two years. That ultimately proved to be a deciding factor, as the Pats offer put a “time stamp” on Brady that likely helped nudge him away.

But at the end of the day, Tom Brady has built a legacy that's more than enough for any one franchise. Brady has left Patriots fans with memories that would last multiple lifetimes. His level of success will likely be unrivaled for centuries to come.