Wild Rumor: Ex Patriots' QB Brady to Jets?
As the New England Patriots regrouped on Monday, one of their arch rivals suffered a devastating blow.
Monday night marked the highly-anticipated New York Jets debut of four-time MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whom they acquired in April from the Green Bay Packers. With the Jets facing off against the Buffalo Bills, the three-time defending AFC East champion, this heavyweight showdown was one of Week 1's most-anticipated games.
Unfortunately, the game immediately lost much of its luster. On the Jets' first drive, Rodgers had to be helped off the field after taking a sack, and was eventually carted to the locker room. Later on, it became apparent that Rodgers likely suffered a torn Achilles, which would take him of for the rest of the season.
Obviously, Rodgers' injury is a catastrophic blow to a Jets fanbase that entered the season with so much optimism. After the initial shock of the injury, discussion pivoted to what New York should do under center, as while coach Robert Saleh showed confidence in Zach Wilson, his career to this point leaves a lot to be desired. Of all the talking points, the notion that the Jets should sign New England Patriots legend Tom Brady is undoubtedly the most "intriguing," for lack of a better word.
Several analysts have spouted this take since Rodgers' injury, including Fox Sports' Nick Wright and former Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum. The mere thought of Brady joining the Jets is enough to make New England fans squirm, and honestly many New York fans as well. But is there any weight at all to these supposed claims?
First of all, there's the obvious fact that Brady, 46, retired seemingly for good this offseason. Yes, he did go back on his previous retirement to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year, but that was when he was returning to a familiar team, had a year left on his contract and came back with essentially the entire offseason still in front of him. None of that would apply if he were to sign with the Jets.
Secondly, there's the fact that the Brady is now a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. That fact alone would make Brady returning to play, especially for a different franchise, very difficult if not impossible. He could theoretically sell his stake in the Raiders, but that seems very unlikely just months after he purchased it.
The Jets were dealt an extremely unfortunate hand with Rodgers suffering this injury, and they may be scrambling to find a suitable replacement. However, luring Brady out of retirement for a second time seems like far more trouble than it's worth.
