As Tom Brady\u2019s decision to leave the Patriots to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sinks in, there\u2019s one major aspect that\u2019s difficult to comprehend.<\/p>\n
Why, after unprecedented success and six Super Bowl titles, would Bill Belichick be so set on going year-to-year with Tom Brady?<\/p>\n
As a Patriots fan, nobody would blame you for screaming, \u201cjust give him what he wants!\u201d at the Patriots head coach.<\/p>\n
Despite reports that New England would\u2019ve done a similar deal to match the Bucs\u2019 offer, and that the Patriots truly didn\u2019t know what Brady wanted, and weren\u2019t given a chance to make a real offer, we know from years of contract negotiations that those claims don\u2019t add up.<\/p>\n
Starting at age 40, the team preferred to go year-to-year with the now 42-year-old quarterback, so two years fully guaranteed would be a heel-turn for Belichick, who rarely changes course.<\/p>\n
The Patriots offered Brady a two-year, $53 million contract last summer. Although the contract terms are unknown, the consensus is that the second year was not fully guaranteed, which is why Brady rejected the offer.<\/p>\n
In the end, Brady wanted a multi-year commitment so that he could finish his career on his terms, which the Pats knew despite spin to the contrary, but Belichick wanted to protect the team against injury or a steep decline in play, which are real possibilities for an aging quarterback.<\/p>\n
Tampa Bay was willing to give Brady the job security that the Patriots were reluctant to give in his last three contract negotiations with the team.<\/p>\n
Did Belichick, who has a keen eye for moving on from older players, see something that made him wary of going all-in on Brady?<\/p>\n
With all due respect to the GOAT, there\u2019s a possibility based on the 2019 season that Belichick has doubts.<\/p>\n
Lazar: Patriots Should Be Wary of a Multi-Year Contract For Tom Brady<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n