Patriots quarterback Tom Brady speaks contract extension, acknowledges that he is entering uncharted territory

While the New England Patriots opened up their three-day joint practice stretch with the Detroit Lions today, the biggest story surrounding the team these days is the new two-year, $70 million contract extension Tom Brady signed this weekend. On paper, the deal will keep the greatest quarterback of all time in the fold through 2021 but the devil is in the details: the contract will likely be renegotiated next offseason.

Brady, however, does not seem concerned about his future as he said during a press conference following today’s practice: “The focus is this year and what we’ve got to do. So that’s where I’m focused, that’s all that really matters in the end, and that’s what this team expects me: to put everything in it, like I always have. [...] I’m really not worried about it, I’m secure for this year — I think, at least I get some first-team reps out there.”

Essentially confirming that the two sides will have to work on Brady’s contract situation again at one point further down the line — his salary cap hits during the two extension seasons are currently scheduled to be $30 million and $32 million — the 42-year-old also pointed out that he is well aware of his status: he is the oldest starting quarterback in the NFL and sailing towards waters that have never been explored before.

“Football’s a tough business, it’s a production business. I’m ready to go this year, and that’s really what matters; that’s where my focus is,” he pointed out before acknowledging that he finds himself in what he called a unique situation. “Twentieth year with the same team, 42 years old. Pretty much uncharted territory for everybody. I’m going to go out there and do the best I can this year and see what happens.”

Whatever happens, the most accomplished quarterback the NFL has ever seen seems willing to let his contract situation — and by extension his future in the organization that drafted him in the sixth-round nineteen years ago — play out: “It is what it is. That’s a good line. Whoever said it, it’s very pertinent. [...] There are a lot of guys who have one year left on their contract. So the situation... I have one year to go, we’ll see what happens.”