Perhaps the first offensive coordinator to coach Tom Brady with the New England Patriots said it best.
Charlie Weis spent five seasons in Foxborough from 2000-04 and helped the franchise to its first trio of championships, a dynasty that has now stretched for two decades. Weis left in 2005 to become the head coach at Notre Dame but has always held a soft spot for the quarterback he still refers to as “Tommy.”
Like so many others Tuesday, Weis was struggling to comprehend the news Brady broke on his personal Twitter page. After 20 seasons with the Patriots, arguably the greatest player in NFL history will leave via free agency and seek a new home for 2020.
“I have to tell you that I’m a little stunned,” Weis said to SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I really am. I’m a little stunned.”
Reaction to the Brady news poured in from all corners of the sporting world, a headline that would stand alone even with a full schedule in progress. Cancellations and postponements caused by the coronavirus have further amplified the reality of Brady taking his next snap away from the team he led to six Super Bowl titles.
“My hope was that Tom would go back and finish with the Patriots,” said Tedy Bruschi, Brady’s teammate in New England from 2000-08, to ESPN. “You just knew that this wasn’t going to happen.”
“Tom Brady gave more to the Patriots than any other single player has ever given another NFL organization,” said Matt Chatham, Brady’s teammate from 2000-05, on his personal Twitter page. “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
Brady’s legend grew with the passage of time _ four Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards, three NFL MVP awards, 14 Pro Bowl selections and more. New England became a destination for players seeking an elusive championship to highlight their respective careers. Defensive back Darrelle Revis signed with the Patriots for the 2014 season with that exact goal in mind, and New England outlasted the Seahawks, 28-24, in a Super Bowl thriller.
“Practice against Tom Brady every day was like playing on the ‘92 Dream Team,” Revis said on his personal Twitter page. “He brought that much intensity to the practice field. Whichever team (lands him), I’m sure he will continue his legacy of playing a great brand of football.”
Given his age and some visible signs of physical wear late in recent seasons, how effective Brady can be with his eventual new team is open for debate. His 24 touchdown passes in 2019 were the lowest total posted by Brady while playing double-digit games since 2006. Brady also completed just 60.8% of his passes, which was his worst mark since 2013.
The other side of that coin is the discussion about whether or not Brady has had the requisite offensive weapons to be successful in recent seasons. Elite pass-catching options like Rob Gronkowski, Wes Welker and Randy Moss have come and gone. Julian Edelman _ who turns 34 in May _ led the Patriots with 100 receptions in 2019, and Phillip Dorsett’s 29 catches were the second-most by a New England receiver or tight end.
“He just doesn’t have the weapons that these other quarterbacks have,” Moss said to ESPN. “Once he gets some weapons I still think Tom Brady can be a Pro Bowl, All-Pro quarterback.”
Brady’s success and celebrity transcend sports. He was recently spotted with Edelman and television host Jimmy Fallon at a North Carolina-Syracuse college basketball game, and he’s also frequently been seen in the company of actors like Mark Wahlberg and Ben Affleck. Ashley Iaconetti, wife of Providence native Jared Haibon and a fellow Bachelor in Paradise co-star, posted her own personal message on twitter.
“I said in my vows that I would support Jared during this time,” Iaconetti said. “I didn’t think we’d be quarantined for it.
“Goodbye, Tom Brady. We’ll miss you beyond words.”