FOXBORO, MASS. (WHDH) - Ever since the Patriots were bounced from the playoffs on Wild Card weekend in January, there has been much speculation about whether veteran quarterback Tom Brady will return to New England in 2020.
ESPN NFL insider Jeff Darlington shared news on Thursday that could be bad for fans who are hoping for Brady to return to Foxborough for a run at a seventh Super Bowl.
“I’m now at the point where I would be stunned if Tom Brady went back to New England,” Darlington said during an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” morning show.
“I’m now at the point where I would be stunned if Tom Brady went back to New England.”
—@jeffdarlington on @GetUpESPN pic.twitter.com/CnyoANl77v
— ESPN (@espn) February 27, 2020
Brady, 42, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent on March 17, when his current contract voids. He is not eligible to be franchise tagged.
“There are people who are very close to Tom Brady who are being told by Tom Brady, ‘It’s not gonna happen, like, I’m going somewhere else,'” Darlington said.
Brady has won six Super Bowl championships in New England over the last 20 years, cementing himself as a surefire future Hall of Famer.
Several reports in recent weeks have indicated that a number of teams have an interest in pursuing Brady when he hits free agency.
“We need to wrap our minds around the fact that it is far more likely than not that Tom Brady will not be back with the Patriots,” Darlington added.
Jarrett Stidham and Cody Kessler are the only other quarterbacks on New England’s roster.
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