For the first time in his Hall of Fame career, Tom Brady is headed into the unknown: his contract with the New England Patriots will void when free agency starts on March 18, and there is a chance that the 42-year-old will wear another team’s uniform next season. Of course, a lot can and will happen until then and it sure sounds as if Brady will take any potential developments over the next two months in stride.
“I’m open-minded about the process,” Brady said during his weekly interview with Westwood One radio on Sunday, when asked about the possibility of playing elsewhere in 2020 and his willingness of possibly doing that. “At the same time, I love playing football and I want to continue to play and do a great job. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead. Whatever the future may bring, I’ll embrace it with open arms.”
Brady, who also pointed out that he spent a lot of time with his family since the Patriots’ playoff exit on wild card weekend and is currently “decompressing from the season,” is the highest profile player to ever hit free agency: he has played a key role in each of New England’s six Super Bowl titles and has already secured a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame due to his success over the past two decades.
Naturally, therefore, Brady’s impending free agency creates considerable interest across the NFL and the sports world as a whole as a recent appearance of his in Las Vegas showed. Brady visited a mixed martial arts fight and at one point was photographed talking to Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis — an image that made the rounds through social media and generated a considerable buzz simply because of the quarterback’s uncertain future.
As he said on Sunday, though, Brady will let the process play out however it may. New England has not shown any urgency as of yet to extend the veteran passer or restructure his current contract, but expect talks to start next month.