NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal put Pro Sports on blast as New England Patriots let Tom Brady walk and sign with Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The world of sports is a highly competitive place. What makes it even more so competitive is the presence of Pro Leagues like the NFL and the NBA. Every year, there are newer, younger players getting drafted, and it becomes harder and harder to stay relevant. However, some players, against all odds, manage to cement their place in the league.
In the NBA, there are many such players who cemented their names in the game and the league’s history. Shaquille O’Neal is among them. However, despite him being one of the greatest players and winning the Lakers three rings in a row, he was moved by the team to Miami.
This isn’t a rare incident. Over the years, we’ve seen many teams cut ties with their older players, despite the said players having brought them success after putting in their blood and sweat. In 2020, we saw the same happen in the NFL when Tom Brady walked away from the New England Patriots.
Also Read: “Kobe Bryant was alien-like”: Shaquille O’Neal gives an insight into Black Mamba’s mindset
Shaquille O’Neal called out the Patriots, claimed there was no loyalty in sports
Drafted in 2000, Tom Brady spent twenty seasons with the New England Patriots. Brady was a huge reason behind establishing the team as a dynasty. In those twenty years, Brady won the Patriots 6 Super Bowls. However, once his contract expired in 2020, the Patriots did not match the offer Brady was expecting. This caused him to leave, and sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Talking about whether he liked seeing Brady in Tampa Bay, Shaquille O’Neal said,
“No I do not. It just confirms that there is no loyalty in sports. When you get older, They forget about you. The day I knew I was dog meat, was when Michael Jordan left. The day I knew I was dog meat was when Dominique left. The day I knew I was dog meat was when Partick Ewing ended up in Seattle. I knew it. There’s only a few people that can stay with one franchise to twenty or thirty years. The rest of us, we’re dog meat. They get what they want, and we move on. Because everyone wants to go younger. I’m not trying to go younger, I’m trying to win right away. You can go younger with the Patriots, but you’re not bringing in anyone even close to Tom Brady. I don’t know what you do.”
Shaq might be thinking about the time he had to leave the Lakers because the team wanted to build around Kobe.
Also Read: Shaquille O’Neal, who missed over 5,000 free throws, disses himself while trying to flip a bottle
Well, thankfully, Brady found a home in Tampa Bay, and he instantly led them to a Super Bowl win in his first season with the team.
