Aqib Talib left the Patriots in free agency and thinks Tom Brady will too. Here’s why.
Tom Brady’s looming free agency has been the biggest topic of the offseason.
Everyone from a former New England Patriots coach to the UFC president has weighed in, claiming to know more than the next guy.
The latest pundit to add to the frenzy is Miami Dolphins cornerback Aqib Talib. Having gone through the free agency decision process with Bill Belichick, the five-time Pro Bowler wasn’t exactly sold on a Patriots-Brady reunion.
“If [Belichick’s] treating everybody the same in the meeting room, he probably treating everybody the same around free agency time as well,” Talib said on the NFL Network. “... I think Tom is gone. I think it’s a done deal and Bill is gone be Bill. Them calls are gone be short and to the point.”
Talib then referenced the earlier report that Brady and Belichick’s first call “didn’t go well,” an account which ESPN’s Adam Schefter later refuted. Regardless of the report’s validity, the ultimate deciding factor, according to Talib, is a desire to prove they can win without one another
“It’s kind of a chip on both of their shoulders that’s like ‘I want to to do this thing and see if I can do it without him,” Talib added.
Talib’s speculation would make sense. Brady and Belichick’s are two of the most competitive forces in the sports world. Of course winning comes first, but if either side sees a path to the Lombardi without the other, they would surely jump at the opportunity. Only time will tell whether that will be the right decision.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 2:09 PM.
