Tom Brady officially signed his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Friday, and let’s just say the deal proves the team believes the 42-year-old is still capable of performing at an elite level.
Brady and the Bucs agreed to a two-year, $50 million deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The contract is fully guaranteed, and it includes up to $9 million in additional incentives. The Buccaneers have also agreed to not trade Brady or use the franchise tag on him when the deal expires.
The no franchise tag guarantee may be the most interesting part of Brady’s contract, as it implies he has not ruled out continuing to play beyond the two-year deal. Brady has said he wants to play until he is 45, and he will turn 45 just before the start of the 2022 season.
There were numerous reports that teams were willing to pay Brady at least $30 million per year, and you have to assume the Los Angeles Chargers would have outbid the Bucs for him if given an opportunity. Brady took below-market contracts with the Patriots throughout his tenure with them, and he likely did the same with Tampa Bay.
With the details of Brady’s new contract now known, it seems even more obvious that his departure from New England was not about money. We have heard of several special accommodations the Bucs were willing to make for him, and it sounds like Bill Belichick simply did not want to bend over backwards for a player who will turn 43 before the start of next season.
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