Tom Brady Officially Signs With The Tampa Bay Buccaneers After Leaving The New England Patriots
Shortly after bidding farewell to the New England Patriots, Tom Brady announced that he’s taking his talents to Tampa by signing with the Buccaneers, and we have some EXCLUSIVE details on the deal.
“Excited, humble and hungry …if there is one thing I have learned about football, it’s that nobody cares what you did last year or the year before that…you earn the trust and respect of those around through your commitment every single day,” Tom Brady, 42, posted to his Instagram on Mar. 20, a mere four days after he announced his departure from the New England Patriots. Amid widespread speculation and reports that he was joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Super Bowl Champion made it official. “I’m starting a new football journey and thankful for the @buccaneers for giving me an opportunity to do what I love to do. I look forward to meeting all my new teammates and coaches and proving to them that they can believe and trust in me…I have always believed that well done is better than well said, so I’m not gonna say much more – I’m just gonna get to work! #Year1 p.s. Jack Brady with the photocred”
So, how did the Bucs land the GOAT? “The Bucs offered Tom almost 30 million-plus per year,” a source close to the Patriots told HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY. At first, the source said they were “finalizing the number of years to sign him for, and that looks like it will be at least three years,” the insider added. “The reasons for Tom to move were certainly money related. Tom will be getting close to 75 if not more million guaranteed to sign with the Bucs. Tampa also has the chance to sign a lot of players through free agency because their salary cap is really good right now.”
“Tom also wants to get back to another Super Bowl and he didn’t think he could do that with the Patriots in his remaining seasons. Plus, he wasn’t getting the money he was looking for in the brief negotiations he had with the Pats so he had to move on,” the source told HollywoodLife. “Tom also respects Tampa’s coach Bruce Arians, who has worked with many legendary quarterbacks, and he feels that Tampa is in a ‘win now’ mood. He wants to prove himself that he can do it elsewhere and help a team that has constantly missed the playoffs to gain a little respect in the league.”
“It also helps with family,” the source added, “since it is a pretty quick flight to NYC and they all like being very close to Miami. There are a lot of positives for Tom to end his career in Florida, money being maybe the biggest reason, especially with how taxes are in Florida. He has proven he is the GOAT, so the rest of his success would just be gravy.”
Even before Brady said ‘bye-bye’ to Boston, there were rumors that he would head to warmer climates. “The #Bucs made a strong offer to QB Tom Brady believed to be $30M or more. The #Chargers did, as well. And now, he’s leaving New England,” Sports Illustrated‘s Ian Rapoport tweeted hours after Tom announced his departure from the Patriots. He later tweeted that “Multiple teams remain in pursuit of Tom Brady,” including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Los Angeles Chargers. “The #Patriots stance was the same — what does Tom Brady want to do? Does he want to come back and is this where he think it’s the best place to win? When he never came back… that was where it stood. And Brady posted his goodbye.”
In the chaos of Tom’s conscious uncoupling from his team of two decades, Colin Cowherd announced on his Fox Sports Radio show that Brady was headed to Florida. “I was told 35 minutes ago that Tom Brady signs tomorrow with Tampa Bay. He had made a decision and talked to Tampa Bay yesterday. He was willing to re-sign with New England but he watched Stefon Diggs and DeAndre Hopkins go to other franchises and then called Robert Kraft an hour and a half later and said ‘I’M OUT’… I am told Tampa is the choice and he will sign tomorrow… This is not a ‘football source’, it is an ‘Icon source’, and somebody in Tom’s stratosphere that knows Tom, and who is a famous person. He says Tampa.”
Tom Brady’s 20-year tenure with the Patriots came to a close on St. Patrick’s Day. “It has truly been the happiest two decades I could have envisioned in my life and I have nothing but love and gratitude for my time in New England,” he said in the social media statements confirming his departure. It was a somber way to mark the end of one of the biggest partnerships in NFL history.
After being drafted #199 in the 2000 NFL Draft, Tom helped redefine the Patriots as the team in the NFL. He led the team to nine Super Bowl appearances and six championships, all while racking up more records and titles than ever thought imaginable. He’s the only quarterback to reach 200 regular-season wins, led the team to more division titles (16) than any other quarterback in NFL history, and has racked up six Super Bowl trophies. On top of that, he’s a 4-time Super Bowl MVP, and 14-time Pro Bowl player.