Tom Brady gives "I never cared about legacy" reason for leaving Patriots

Tom Brady's decision to leave the New England Patriots took most NFL fans by surprise. Brady enjoyed a successful 20-year spell with the Patriots, during which he won a whopping six Super Bowl titles among countless other accolades. While the year 2020 marks a change for Tom Brady and the Patriots, the quarterback revealed he already knew his days at New England were numbered. 

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Tom Brady leaves Patriots: Tom Brady Howard Stern interview 

Earlier this week, Tom Brady joined American radio personality Howard Stern on The Howard Stern Show, where the duo discussed various aspects of Brady's NFL career. Tom Brady explained his decision to leave the Patriots, stating, "I knew that our time was coming to an end."

Brady further revealed he got the feeling at the beginning of the 2019 NFL season that it would be his last with the Patriots. "I probably knew before the start of last season it was my last year. It was just time to move on. I don't know what to say other than that," the 42-year-old added.

Tom Brady leaves Patriots: Tom Brady legacy at Patriots

Delving deep into his status with the Patriots heading into the 2019 season, Brady explained that he knew he would be entering free agency for the first time in his career. The quarterback revealed that he had conversations with Patriots owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick but at the end, decided it was best to end his Patriots career after two successful decades. Brady expressed his love for the Patriots but admitted that he still could play at the highest level, which ultimately drove him towards a Patriots exit.

"I accomplished everything I could in two decades with an incredible organisation, an incredible group of people, and that will never change. No one can ever take that away from me, no one can ever take those experiences or Super Bowl championships away from us."

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Tom Brady legacy: Tom Brady leaves Patriots for Buccaneers

New England Patriots are considered one of the heavyweights in the NFL. However, the same cannot be said about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who haven't made a single playoff appearance in the last 10 years. Many experts suggested moving to the Buccaneers could end up hampering Brady's NFL legacy. 

When asked about the same, Brady said, "I never cared about legacy. I never once, when I was in high school, said, 'man, I can't wait for what my football legacy looks like'. That's just not me. That's just not my personality."

While Tom Brady remains excited to write a new chapter with the Buccaneers, the country-wide lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak is less than an ideal situation for the NFL and Brady. The quarterback told Howard Stern that he's uncertain about what will happen with the upcoming season because of the coronavirus pandemic. He then noted he is willing to play in an empty stadium if necessary.

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Tom Brady Howard Stern interview

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