After the Patriots won their fifth Super Bowl last February, Scott Zolak of the Patriots Radio Network suggested that quarterback Tom Brady will play for three more years — unless the Patriots win Super Bowl No. 6 in 2017 0r 2018.
With the Patriots one win away from Super Bowl No. 6, Zolak is revising his prediction.
“No,” Zolak said on Wednesday’s PFT Live regarding whether Brady would walk away after a win in Super Bowl LII. “Absolutely not. Especially with Jimmy [Garoppolo] not being here. No, I don’t. I really don’t. I think it’s two more. . . . I think he has two more realistic seasons left.”
Zolak believes that the Patriots got an assurance that Brady will return in 2018 before trading Garoppolo to the 49ers.
“I think he’d have to,” Zolak said. “Or if he didn’t that’s just dumb and awful planning on your part. Yeah, I think there had to be some sort of an understanding there that, ‘Hey, if you’re gonna be in this thing and this thing’s real for you, your lifestyle. You wanna play until you’re 45, we can deal with you playing ’til 42 or 43. Forty-five is a long shot; just give us a little nod before we do this thing.'”
Whatever Brady does, Zolak is now convinced the Patriots would be a fundamentally different operation without him.
“Probably a 10-6 team, 9-7 team,” Zolak said. “Somewhere in there. I mean, that fourth quarter [against Jacksonville], I don’t think Jimmy could’ve pulled that one out last week. I don’t know many guys that could’ve. I’ve seen some of the biggest comebacks. Obviously, Atlanta last year. That divisional game against the Ravens three years ago. Seattle, Super Bowl XLIX. I don’t doubt [Brady] anymore. Not once on Sunday did I think they were dead. I started to get nervous after the Dion Lewis fumble. Once the tide turned and you felt the momentum swing Sunday you knew Brady had them dead to rights. I’ll never doubt this guy again. Jealous. Jealous of what he’s able to do.”
Fans of 31 other teams are jealous of what Brady and the Patriots are able to do, and they can’t wait until Brady finally does call it quits.