Tom Brady reportedly ‘eager’ to mentor young quarterback

Tom Brady may want to play several more seasons in the NFL, but that does not mean he is opposed to grooming his successor beginning in 2020.

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that Brady is keeping an open mind as he heads toward becoming a free agent for the first time in his Hall of Fame career, and it would be “extremely surprising” if the quarterback signs a contract extension with the New England Patriots before testing the market. While Brady undoubtedly wants to play for a team that believes he has plenty of good football left in him, La Canfora notes that Brady is “eager” to mentor a young quarterback anywhere he plays so he can leave the franchise in good shape when he retires.

That would be a big change in mentality for Brady, who was believed to have forced the Patriots to trade Jimmy Garoppolo during the 2017 season. The belief is that Brady did not like the fact that Garoppolo was looking over his shoulder, but it’s possible Brady would feel differently about a young backup now that he is closer to retirement.

If Brady is, in fact, willing to help groom a young quarterback, that could make him even more appealing in free agency. Teams could view signing Brady as an opportunity to bring in a QB who can still play at a high level while setting a great example for someone who is working his way up behind him.

Brady sparked rumors over the weekend that he is interested in joining one specific AFC team, but it would still be a shock if he left New England. A lot of these reports could merely be his way of putting more pressure on the Patriots.