Christmas in Foxboro has more or less looked the same for the last decade: the New England Patriots have secured the AFC East and are gearing up for another playoff run and to bring the ultimate gift back home: the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Patriots fans certainly have another thing on their wish lists, though, namely getting more seasons out of quarterback Tom Brady. It appears as if their wishes will be fulfilled.
Brady joined Westwood One radio for his weekly interview yesterday and reflected on the past 19 years of his career while also taking a look ahead beyond this season. “I absolutely believe I will,” he answered when asked whether or not he sees himself playing in 2019 as well (via ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss). “I know I’ve talked about it for a long time: I have goals to not only play next year, but beyond that.”
“I’m going to try to do it as best I possibly can,” the five-time Super Bowl winner, who has been voted to his record-tying 14th Pro Bowl earlier this year, continued. “I’m going to give it everything I have, like I always have. It will certainly be a challenge. I don’t take any of these things for granted, but I hope I can keep playing, and I hope I can keep playing at a championship level.”
In 2018 and playing at age 41, Brady is still performing on that level even though his numbers are a bit down this season when compared to the last three years (arguably the best three-year run of his or any other quarterback’s career) and he has made some uncharacteristic mistakes. Despite all that, however, there is little indication that he is no longer able to carry the team to another title.
And it certainly looks as if he plans on doing it beyond 2018 as well. “I wake up every day excited to go to work,” Brady told host Jim Gray. “I wake up every day fulfilled with what I’m doing. I don’t think there’s any greater gift in my life than to have that. Along with that has come a lot of other very cool opportunities, but in my heart and soul, I love playing the sport of football, and it’s brought me so much joy in my life.”
Brady, by extension, has brought plenty of joy to New England as well: he is a key figure — together with club owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick — in transforming the Patriots from one of the league’s also-rans to the most successful franchise of the salary cap era. And even tough he is sailing waters that have never been navigated by a quarterback before, it looks as if he is still going strong and will continue on his journey the next year.
For Patriots fans, this certainly is one of the best Christmas gifts.