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A20 SPORTS
Thursday 19 March 2020
Brady leaving Patriots, says 'football journey' is elsewhere

By KYLE HIGHTOWER in the final eight games of
AP Sports Writer the year, including a sea-
For two decades, Tom son-ending loss to Miami
Brady was the face of the that cost the Patriots a first-
Patriots, and even of the round playoff bye.
NFL. When he turns 43 in They lost at home to the Ti-
August, his home address tans in the wild-card round,
no longer will be in New Brady's earliest postseason
England. exit in a decade — and
The six-time Super Bowl likely his last game in a Pa-
champion plans to keep triots uniform.
playing. But the center- Brady had a one-year con-
piece of the Patriots' dy- tract for 2019 that paid him
nasty, the most successful $23 million, placing him
quarterback in league his- 10th among starting quar-
tory, says he is leaving the terbacks. It was the latest
only pro team he has ever renegotiation by Brady to
known. help give the Patriots salary
Brady's representatives cap flexibility to fill out the
were in serious talks with the roster. The chief decision-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. maker in player personnel
Brady posted Tuesday on In this Jan. 4, 2020, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady warms up before an decisions, Belichick hasn't
social media "my football NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Tennessee Titans in Foxborough, Mass. been shy about moving on
journey will take place else- Associated Press from players he felt were
where." past their prime or seeking
The comments were the first grateful for our incredible two sides were unable to New England's four major contracts that exceeded
to indicate the Patriots icon TEAM experiences." reach an agreement to al- professional sports teams. value in relation to their
would leave New England. The one-year contract low that dream to become Brady would be the old- age. Belichick has sev-
Statements later by team Brady signed before last a reality. While sad today, est starting quarterback ered ties with players much
owner Robert Kraft and season expires Wednesday the overwhelming feeling I in the league at 43 at the younger than Brady during
coach Bill Belichick made afternoon, and his agent have is appreciation for his beginning of next season. his time in New England.
it clear that Brady's remark- could negotiate a deal countless contributions to The Colts, Buccaneers, "Nothing about the end
able stint there is over. with another team on Tues- our team and community." Chargers and Dolphins are of Tom's Patriots career
In a two-part message, day, though it can't be offi- A four-time Super Bowl among the teams expect- changes how unfathom-
Brady thanked the Patri- cial yet. He will count $13.5 Most Valuable Player and ed to be in a Brady derby. ably spectacular it was,"
ots and the fans and said million toward New Eng- three-time league MVP, "TB12," as he has been said Belichick, whose cur-
"FOREVER A PATRIOT." land's salary cap due to the Brady has been the en- dubbed, a nod to his 2017 rent quarterback is un-
"I don't know what my signing bonus money he during face of the Patriots book detailing his diet and tested second-year player
football future holds, but received in 2019. Kraft said during a run that added exercise approach, argu- Jarrett Stidham. "With his
it is time for me to open a of Brady: "I had hoped this another layer to Boston's ably is coming off his worst relentless competitiveness
new stage for my life and day would never come, but already rich sports history. non-injury season. He threw and longevity, he earned
my career," he wrote. "Al- rather that Tom would end Only Bill Russell, who won 11 for 4,057 yards and 24 everyone's adoration and
though my football journey his remarkable career in a NBA championship rings in touchdowns in 2019, with will be celebrated forever.
will take place elsewhere, I Patriots uniform after yet the 1950s and '60s with the eight interceptions. But It has been a privilege to
appreciate everything that another Super Bowl cham- Celtics, has won more titles he completed fewer than coach Tom Brady for 20
we have achieved and am pionship. Unfortunately, the as a member of one of 56% of his passes six times years."q

Free agent deals can't be official even as NFL year begins

By BARRY WILNER with a memo the league ness year. However, all of able with such an arrange- for everything to become
AP Pro Football Writer sent to the 32 teams on those transactions now ment. official, it's a strange dy-
Free agent contracts and Tuesday night tell The As- come with the caveat that For most people, the new namic in what, of course, is
trades agreed upon in re- sociated Press that while the signings and physicals coronavirus causes only a strange time.
cent days or weeks won't teams can announce need to occur. mild or moderate symp- The NFL has delayed the
become official even as reaching agreements with Of course, if a club drafts a toms, such as fever and offseason schedule of
the NFL's league year has free agents or concluding contract and sends it digi- cough. For some, especial- practices amid the un-
begun Wednesday. trades, nothing is official. tally to a player, he can ly older adults and people certainty — meetings and
That also means free The people spoke on con- sign it remotely and send with existing health prob- organized team activities
agents involved won't be dition of anonymity be- it back to the team. Then lems, it can cause more (OTAs) would have begun
getting paid until those cause the information has teams must submit it to the severe illness, including in April. Becoming famil-
deals are signed and phys- not been made public by league and that would pneumonia. The vast ma- iar with new surroundings,
icals are taken. The NFL the NFL or the teams. constitute official sign- jority of people recover teammates and coach-
has barred travel to team Although information on ing. But few, if any, teams from the new virus. ing staffs for the likes of
facilities by free agents dozens of contract agree- would be willing to do Among the players mov- veterans Brady, Rivers and
and also has banned team ments and a slew of trades that without conducting a ing in free agency in one Witten — who collectively
personnel from traveling has been leaked, teams physical. of the busiest years of ac- spent 52 years with their
to meet with players as a were not allowed to com- Those physicals can be tion are such stars as Tom original teams — and the
safeguard against the new plete the deals until the gotten locally by play- Brady, Philip Rivers and Ja- dozens of other players
coronavirus. 4 p.m. EDT Wednesday ers. Many teams have ex- son Witten. While they cer- changing addressed must
Several people familiar start of the 2020 NFL busi- pressed being uncomfort- tainly can afford to wait wait.q