Colts Reportedly Made a Run at Tom Brady in 2020
The Indianapolis Colts have received a mixed bag of results in their pursuit of solid quarterback play over the last four years.
Following the abrupt retirement of Andrew Luck, the team had to decide between getting a talented roster back into the playoffs with a veteran quarterback or finding their young, long-term solution while dealing with growing pains.
Philip Rivers led the Colts to a playoff berth in 2020. Jacoby Brissett and Carson Wentz had a combined record of 16-17 in 2019 and 2021, respectively, and the team is now regrouping after a 4-12-1 finish in 2022, although Matt Ryan was the only one of three different quarterbacks that could get a win.
However, today is about long-time Colts rival Tom Brady, on the day that he announced his retirement. Did you know that the Colts were a possibility for Brady in the 2020 offseason after his departure from the New England Patriots?
This week, ESPN's Stephen Holder wrote about the tumultuous season of Colts owner Jim Irsay, sprinkling in some bits about things leading up to the team's current situation. Included among them was the Colts' pursuit of Brady before he ultimately joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and led them to a Super Bowl victory.
What to do at quarterback has been the Colts' biggest problem dating back to Andrew Luck's retirement in August 2019.
The Colts have considered an endless number of solutions, including making a run at Tom Brady in 2020, according to multiple sources. Ballard was in regular contact with Brady and his camp at the start of the free agency period that spring. Conversations were more advanced than previously known. Just how willing Brady was to join the Colts remains unclear, as does Irsay's level of motivation to sign a player who was his team's archnemesis during Brady's days with the Patriots.
The Colts ultimately signed Philip Rivers, who led them to the playoffs. After Rivers retired the next offseason, the Colts endured failed experiments with Wentz and Ryan.
While there was interest from the Colts' front office in acquiring Brady and dialogue existed between the two sides at the time, the questioned desire between Colts ownership and Brady himself to make a connection happen echoes my understanding of the situation as well.
Ultimately, the Colts signed Rivers instead, who played under then-Colts head coach Frank Reich with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers previously.
Brady would go on to amass a record of 32-18 with the Buccaneers, appearing in the postseason all three years (5-2) and winning Super Bowl LV over the Kansas City Chiefs, taking home the game's MVP award as well.
While things certainly may have gone differently for the Colts in the last three years if they would've landed Brady, the future Hall-of-Famer now gets to ride off on his own terms while the Colts are prepared to use their top pick in the draft to begin a new era of quarterback play.
Brady retires as a seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP while finishing at or near the top of the NFL in just about every meaningful passing and winning category.
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