His relationship with the team has grayed, even if his hair hasn’t. With four regular-season games left on his current deal with the Patriots, it’s fair to wonder whether Tom Brady has entered the home stretch of his time with the team.
Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston believes that the end is nigh (which sounds way more ominous than “coming”). Whether it’s retirement or relocation, Curran considers whether, eventually, player and team won’t be able to reach an acceptable contractual agreement for 2020.
Complicating matters are the lingering (and, recently, escalating) concerns regarding the quality of the offense around Brady. Even as Brady and other Patriots have given the team below-market deals, the extra cap space hasn’t resulted in the kind of offensive firepower that would enhance the aging Brady’s ability to win games and pursue a seventh championship.
Despite the team’s 10-2 record, it’s suddenly looking like a steep uphill climb. Whether the Patriots make it once again to the top of the mountain or not, this may indeed be Brady’s last attempt at ascending.