Well, that didn’t take long.
Just over 24 hours after it was announced that quarterback Brock Purdy would be going under the knife to repair the torn UCL in his elbow, the Tom Brady rumor mill started rapidly churning.
The 45-year-old is now the favorite to be the San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback next season, according to BetOnline.ag. Here are the odds:
49ers Starting QB, Week 1 2023
Tom Brady +140
Trey Lance +150
Jimmy Garoppolo +500
Brock Purdy +600
Aaron Rodgers +1000
Oddsmakers at BetOnline originally believed that Brady would land in Las Vegas with Josh McDaniels. Back at the end of December, the 7x Super Bowl champion was the favorite to be the Raiders starting quarterback next season amidst rumors of a Derek Carr trade.
It was also floated that Brady could potentially return to New England for a “Last Dance” type situation with coach Bill Belichick. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe reported last month that there’s no ego or pride standing in the way of Brady and Belichick anymore – and that there’s been no ill will between them since their locker room meeting last October when the Buccaneers visited New England. On top of this, the Boston Globe Chris Gasper floated the idea on Felger and Mazz of a reunion after the Patriots hired Bill O’Brien, however those rumors quickly deflated (get it?).
The Brock Purdy injury is what makes this situation that much more intersting. With the rookie injuring his elbow in the NFC Championship game, Jimmy Garoppolo set to become a free agent, and Trey Lance still recovering from a torn ACL, it’s looking like the Bay Area kid in Brady might be able to return home and play for his childhood team, the 49ers.
The question is – will he want to? Brady will be 46 by the time week one of next season rolls around, and ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported that his “mental focus was gone for a bulk of [last] season. His physical stature, fixed with 15 pounds of weight loss(!!), is also in peril.”
San Francisco has been knocking on the doorstep of a Super Bowl championship ever since they signed John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan to join the club five long years ago. It’s the quarterback position that has stood in the way.
I’d assume that door would be wide open if Brady wants to step through it.
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