Should Tom Brady unretire to save Patriots under Bill Belichick? Exploring pros and cons of wild possibility
Tom Brady and Bill Belichick created a dynasty with the New England Patriots. Since the quarterback left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, things have gotten worse. Cam Newton could not replicate the magic. Mac Jones got them back to the playoffs in his first year, but they missed the postseason this previous season.
However, this season has been a nadir. The Patriots are 2-10 and bottom in the AFC. The only team worse than them are the Carolina Panthers, who are at 1-11 and have fired their coach Frank Reich. It illustrates the pressure that's on Bill Belichick right now.
Week 13 was a shocker to beat all shockers. The defense held the Los Angeles Chargers to just six points. In any normal game, one would assume that it would result in a win for New England. Instead, the Patriots failed to score a point. This was the second time this season they have been shut out after their 34-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
More importantly, it's now clear that the issue is on offense. The two games before this one also ended in losses, with the Indianapolis Colts triumphing 10-6 and the New York Giants beating the Patriots 10-7. In three straight game, the New England defense has held the opposition to 10 points or less, but their offense has failed to take advantage.
That's where the conversation is turning to whether Tom Brady could return as a savior. It's an unlikely scenario given he has already been honored on his retirement by the organization. It's further complicated by the fact that the former NFL quarterback is a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, another team in the league.
However, this is a player who has unretired once. If he were to come back, we look at what the pros and cons will be.
Tom Brady returning could give the Patriots a lift
Any team will benefit from Tom Brady playing for them, but his record with the Patriots stands on its own. Six Super Bowl wins are a testimony to his success.
Beyond the stats, it was the playbook that he learned there that made him the player that he became. Even with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, reverting to the old plays with New England and getting old heads like Rob Gronkowski helped.
Therefore, the playbook is second nature to him, and he's not busted. Last season, the Buccaneers topped their NFC South division and made the playoffs. They had a 8-9 losing record, but that was more due to them having the worst rushing record in the league. With a strong defense playing, as Bill Belichick wants them to, Tom Brady could become the default offensive coordinator on the field.
Personally, he might also get the chance to break George Blanda's record as the oldest player to participate in the league. Furthermore, it will give him a chance to reinforce the notion that Bill Belichick cannot win without him.
Bill Belichick cannot turn the clock back
The cons are plenty as well if the quarterback returns to his old stomping grounds. Personally, there are a couple of issues. If he goes back and cannot perform to his old standards, that's what he might be remembered by. Secondly, he will have to be away from his family and that's something he might not want to do.
However, it might not be the best choice for the New England Patriots either. As much as it does not appear to be true, Father Time catches everyone. If not this year, there will come a time when Tom Brady is unable to play again, so they need to look at a succession plan.
They have some good quarterbacks available in this year's draft, like Drake Maye and Caleb Williams. They could get a veteran quarterback for the next few years, even if it means losing more and picking higher in the draft.
They could follow the Green Bay Packers model of letting a first-round quarterback learn behind an experienced starter before succeeding him.
However, for a team so used to success, such strategic planning might not be good enough. It remains to be seen if Bill Belichick gets the chance to implement and take them into the new era.