Recently, the NFL made a massive punishment ruling on the Miami Dolphins, stripping a first and third round pick from them, and suspending/fining their owner and another member of their executive team due to tampering violations for interactions they had with Buccaneers QB Tom Brady and former Saints HC Sean Payton.
During Tom Brady’s short-lived retirement this past off season, there were massive reports and rumors about the Dolphins attempting to lure him out of retirement to join the team as a minority owner and starting QB.
Obviously, the impending investigation, and now punishment lend to credibility of those reports and paint a pretty clear picture of what the Dolphins were attempting to do. The investigation found tampering not only during Tom’s time in Tampa, but also during his time in New England by the Dolphins.
Since Tom Brady has come back to Tampa and decided that he still has some unfinished business, there have still been some rumors about a potential move to Miami when his contract in Tampa ends at this conclusion of this season, and as we’ve seen so far with this story, when there is smoke, there is fire.
However, does the NFL investigation and punishments that have been sanctioned effectively end that possibility?
The short answer is no.
This ruling does not prevent that from happening in any way.
However, Tom Brady is very aware of his public perception. Despite being the best to ever do it in this league, Tom has long drew the ire of a lot of fans around the league.
He was HATED. People hated seeing their team lose to him. They hated he “Patriot Way”. They hated Belicheck, and thought of Brady as a runoff of Bill.
Coming to Tampa to win with the Buccaneers was sort of a refresh for Brady. He has showcased a much lighter personality, joined the TikTok and social media game, and has engaged with fans and media much differently than he did in his time in Foxborough, and fans have taken note of that.
Adding “tamper-gate” to “deflate-gate” just doesn’t seem like the way the GOAT should go out.
Tom Brady has said little to comment on the Dolphins rumors, and I think that is because it’s not something he wants to mar the twilight of his career with. He’s on an amazing run here in Tampa, and has an extremely rich broadcasting contract to help fill his time with when his playing days are over, and thqt should keep Tom from adding the Dolphins to the end of his storied career.
I hope to see TB12 end his career as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers!
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