New England Newspapers React to Tom Brady Leaving Patriots

In Wednesday’s Hot Clicks: Newspapers in New England find room on the front page for Tom Brady, the Patriots’ tribute video and more.

Bye, bye Brady

Even on a busy news day, newspapers across New England found room on their front pages for the shocking revelation that Tom Brady is leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers.

After 20 years with the Pats, Brady dropped the bombshell Tuesday morning that the rest of his his “football journey” would “take place elsewhere” and by sunset the news was out that Tampa was his destination. 

Breaking up with the city of Boston on a St. Patrick’s Day where all the bars were closed due to a raging pandemic was a particularly cruel twist of the knife. The coronavirus has rightfully dominated headlines across the country, but many papers in New England addressed the Brady news on the front page. 

Here is a selection of the best treatments. (All images from the amazing Newseum.)

Boston Herald

The Republican (Springfield, Mass.)

The Providence Journal (R.I.)

Sentinel & Enterprise (Fitchburg, Mass.)

The Boston Globe

The MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, Mass.)

Burlington Free Press (Vt.)

Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Hartford Courant (Conn.)

New Hampshire Union Leader (Manchester, N.H.)

Bennington Banner (Vt.)

The Eagle-Tribune (North Andover, Mass.)

In every case (except for the tabloid Boston Herald) the Brady news was surrounded by harrowing stories about the growing pandemic, which made for a totally surreal feeling.

It’s interesting to see how much space papers chose to give Brady compared with the real news of the day. The Portland Press Herald, Maine’s largest newspaper, barely had any mention of Brady on the front page, choosing instead to make the focus of the page a story about the coronavirus’s impact on small businesses. The region’s biggest paper, The Boston Globe, though, dedicated most of the left side of the front page to Brady, including a portion of Dan Shaughnessy’s column. 

The best of SI

Tom Brady’s Patriots career ended in the same way so many others in New England did. ... Here are seven options for the Patriots to replace Tom Brady. ... As long as Bill Belichick is around, the Patriots can still be great. ... Tom Brady wasn’t the only QB on the move Tuesday.

Around the sports world

The Iditarod—which has its roots in an epidemic—is the only sporting event going on in North America right now. ... ESPN’s 10-part Michael Jordan documentary won’t be released early because it’s not finished. ... A Mets prospect hoping to get some work in drove up to a random field and played catch with an amateur player. ... Tony Kornheiser wants PTI to come back as a sports history show. ... Here’s an awesome story about Joel Embiid lobbying the Cavs to draft him during a predraft workout.

The Patriots’ tribute video for Tom Brady

20 years.
6 championships.
A lifetime of memories.

Thank you, Tom. pic.twitter.com/exQPrweT5h

— New England Patriots (@Patriots) March 17, 2020

Tony Reali’s answer to social distancing

Now presenting: Around the Home!

With Tom Brady leaving New England, @TonyReali called for an 🚨EMERGENCY HORN🚨 featuring @SarahSpain, @minakimes, and Jackie Mac... pic.twitter.com/DoUkEZuAk9

— Around the Horn (@AroundtheHorn) March 17, 2020

Here’s what Bill O’Brien’s colleagues think of him

An NFC coach texted me today. He said when news of the Deandre Hopkins trade hit the coaches' meeting, the entire room burst into laughter.

— John P. Lopez (@LopezOnSports) March 17, 2020

I enjoyed this Roger Maris story from Peter Gammons

Maris left the dining room shortly after us, he approached me to ask if I wanted the autograph, signed and thanked me for respecting his privacy.

— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) March 17, 2020

My ball curves like that, too

Golf in the time of coronavirus

In an effort to keep our customers safe but also provide a recreational outlet we have raised all the cups 1” above the surface @RichterParkGC Putt till you hit the cup and then pick up ball and move on, no need to touch the flagstick. @MayorMark pic.twitter.com/L7xGNhaUhi

— Robert Dorsch (@RichterSupt) March 17, 2020

Those rock formations are blowing my mind

Not sports

Inside New York City bars before they all got shut down. ... A Florida man is accused of stealing $3,000 from a woman he met on a dating app.

Things are already getting weird in New York

I’m screaming that these brothers are literally having an argument on live telly about who’s their mum’s favourite son,amongst an international pandemic I- pic.twitter.com/yn97oldq7a

— jack rem (@jackremmington) March 17, 2020

Hard pass

#FutureofFood: Would you eat a lollipop made of earthworms? This Latvian food scientist thinks they could be the next big alternative protein source pic.twitter.com/L2L4dijYov

— Reuters (@Reuters) March 17, 2020

Cabin fever, Irish style

A good song

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