Future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady did the unthinkable this offseason. For the first 20 years of his career, Brady was with the New England Patriots. However, he signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this free agency period.
As you could expect, switching teams after 20 years probably wasn't the easiest decision for Brady.
And according to Greg Auman of The Athletic, the quarterback did indeed admit it was “very emotional” to leave his teammates.
Tom Brady said leaving Patriots has been "very emotional" because of leaving longtime teammates. Said the relationships with other players is always the most important part, and he'll keep those relationships even though they're not teammates anymore.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 24, 2020
That definitely makes sense for Brady. I mean, we're talking about a player who immediately requested the phone numbers of all his new teammates upon signing with the Buccaneers.
Clearly, he cares about building relationships. And having been with the Patriots for 20 years, he probably had some very long relationships. Not just with the front office and coaching staff, but with the players as well.
Especially those players that have been with him for years, wide receiver Julian Edelman especially comes to mind.
Brady will not be the Buccaneers' quarterback for 20 years. However, he clearly cares about building those relationships with his teammates. Due to that, don't be surprised when he has a cohesive unit behind him by the start of the preseason.
Seeing Brady in a new jersey will definitely be strange. It seems like even he will find it strange as he's navigating a new locker room.
For Patriots fans, it has to sting that much more though. However, they can take a little comfort in knowing that Brady will indeed miss his New England family.
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