Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Patriots QB Tom Brady still has yet to commit to playing in 2018, even though people who know him believe he’ll return.
“My money would be on him playing football for the foreseeable future, but what goes on away from the football field, I don’t know,” a source tells Schefter. “I don’t know.”
According to Schefter, Brady clearly wants to continue playing football, but he’ll be 41 years old this year, would like to spend time with his family and people around him would like him to retire.
“I believe he’s going to be there,” a separate source tells Schefter. “However, having said that, we’re dealing with a human being. Things can change. But I do believe he will be playing.”
Brady was not in attendance for the start of the Patriots’ offseason program but that isn’t a big surprise, considering that he was out of the country and has missed part of minicamp in the past.
Schefter believes the lack of clarity from Brady regarding his status could affect how aggressive the Patriots will be in acquiring a quarterback in this year’s draft and many believe New England will use one of its high picks on the position.
Brady, 40, is a former sixth-round pick of the Patriots back in 2000. He signed a two-year, $41 million contract extension with the Patriots back in 2016, which included a $28 million signing bonus. Brady stands to make a base salary of just $15 million in both 2018 and 2019.
In 2017, Brady appeared in all 16 games for the Patriots and threw for 4,577 yards while completing 66.3 percent of his passes to go along with 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 1 quarterback out of 39 qualifying players.
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