When Tom Brady left the Patriots, most of Massachusetts was distraught. But no one felt it more than his teammates. Especially close bud Julian Edelman. In a recent podcast appearance, the former WR revealed how he felt at the departure of Brady after almost a career-long commitment to the Patriots.
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In an appearance on Maxx Crosby’s podcast, “The Rush,” Edelman that he was “p*ssed” when the news broke about Brady’s departure from the Patriots. However, he also revealed that there was a conversation with Brady about switching teams and joining him in Tampa. He revealed,
“I was p*ssed when he left a little bit. He would joke around about leaving, for like four years straight…He hit me up when he left, and he goes, ‘Hey babe, you want me to get you down here? I was like, no, I’m good man. I’m a one team man.”
Apparently, before actually leaving after the 2019 season, Brady had joked about leaving long beforehand. During that period, he often mentioned wanting to take Edelman with him. However, when it came down to it, Edelman chose Boston over Brady, choosing to stay loyal to his team.
The wide receiver started his career in New England in 2009 and played 11 seasons in the NFL, all with the Patriots. Even though Edelman’s time in New England without Brady was brief, he emphasized on the podcast how much he appreciated the sports culture in Boston. Brady, too, loved Boston just as much. So, after 20 years of playing with the same team, why did he end up leaving the Patriots, and why did he joke about it long before?
Why Did Brady Leave Boston?
Things apparently started getting shaky in New England long before Tom Brady eventually left the scene. There were rumors of the explosive duo QB-coach duo of Brady and Belichick just not getting along together anymore. Right before the beginning of the 2019 season, Brady secured a two-year extension with the Patriots.
However, the terms of the deal were somewhat deceptive. While it marginally increased his salary for the 2019 season, the subsequent two years (2020, and 2021) were made voidable, allowing the Patriots to distribute his cap hit more evenly, which not only seems like a deal made in bad faith but also indicative of the lack of commitment of the team to Brady.
The word on the street was that Belichick thought Brady had already hit his prime and wouldn’t be beneficial to the team anymore. In the docu-series “Dynasty,” Brady disclosed that he had made up his mind not to return to New England in 2020 under any circumstances. During that period, Brady believed that his relationship with Bill Belichick had deteriorated significantly. It seems things had come to a head for Brady, so much so that no one could convince him to stay after that.
