Tom Brady & Antonio Brown May Reunite in 2020 – But Not on the Patriots

Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:27 PM

By Francois Aure

tom brady, antonio brown, new england patriots

Antonio Brown is the perfect wide receiver for Tom Brady's swan song. | Source: Eric Espada / Getty Images / AFP

The time has come for Tom Brady to leave the New England Patriots
Josh McDaniels’ likely departure creates an opportunity for the pair to reunite.
Will Antonio Brown make it an ex-Pats trio?

Antonio Brown says he’ll only return to the NFL for the 2020 season on one condition: He gets to catch touchdowns from Tom Brady. That may happen, but not on the New England Patriots.

With Josh McDaniels also on the way out, this threesome could turn a perennial underachiever into an NFL superteam.

Antonio Brown, AB, Tom Brady, New England Patriots, Josh McDaniels, NFL — Source: Twitter

Why It’s Time for Tom Brady to Leave the Patriots

After a miserable defeat to a Derrick Henry (and a little help from the rest of the Tennessee Titans ) on wildcard weekend, Tom Brady and the Patriots are reeling from their most embarrassing playoff loss since 2009.

At age 42, Brady’s future is up in the air, with several developments hinting that he could leave New England after 20 wildly-successful seasons.

There were some bad throws on Saturday, but a frustrated Brady didn’t have many weapons at his disposal. The six-time Super Bowl champion can clearly still play in this league and has personally stated his desire to play until age 45 .

With only three seasons (at most) left, Brady must leave a Patriots’ offense that is on the verge of a total rebuild if he hopes to have any chance of making it lucky number seven.

Robert Kraft is not going to capitulate and bring back Antonio Brown, no matter how many Instagram posts his quarterback likes.

Once you consider that Josh McDaniels, the Patriots’ longtime offensive coordinator, could take a head coaching role elsewhere , Brady has virtually no incentive to stay in New England.

Stars Align for a Brady, Brown & McDaniels Superteam

tom brady leave patriots — After a devastating end to his season, Tom Brady needs to spend his final act in a new city. | Source: Tim Warner/Getty Images/AFP

Here is where things get interesting.

Antonio Brown could be ridiculously cheap for any team willing to take a gamble on him. Tom Brady cannot command top dollar anymore, as performance metrics suggest he is not quite what he used to be , and he’d probably take a pay cut for another Lombardi trophy. A team could scoop up these two guys for pennies on the dollar compared to what they would have cost a few seasons ago.

But what team?

How about a supposed superteam that imploded from a lack of discipline? One where Josh McDaniels is the front-runner for the head coaching job ? That’s right, the Cleveland Browns.

Baker Mayfield Needs a Mentor Like Tom Brady

Cleveland is so desperate to have a winning season their fan base would almost certainly roll the dice on a talented wideout like AB who is still in elite shape .

Baker Mayfield has had every opportunity in the world to show he is good enough, and he’s largely failed. He would benefit more than anybody from sitting on the bench and learning from Brady – as Jimmy Garroppolo did – to great success.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1z9OV5Pr6k

The Browns’ offense is potentially so potent they just need a safe pair of hands, and even an aging Brady could provide that in his sleep. Enter Josh McDaniels to provide some Belichick-style discipline, and the recipe to rescue Cleveland from the abyss is complete.

Antonio Brown Still Hopes the GOAT Can Save His Career

The most unlikely component of this thrilling scenario is Antonio Brown getting one last shot at the NFL. After all, his behavior continues to suggest he would still be a toxic locker room presence.

But if AB respects anyone, it’s Tom Brady. The GOAT might be the only man with enough influence to make giving him another chance worth the bet.