Report: Tom Brady-Belichick Talk Ended in a 'Blowup,' Kraft Gave 'Mixed Signals' - Bleacher Report

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The eventual split between Tom Brady and the New England Patriots reportedly had been building since 2017 due to disputes over long-term contract extensions, according to Seth Wickersham of ESPN.

The quarterback wanted to play until his mid-40s on a deal that locked him down through the end of his career, but he never received the deal he was seeking from Bill Belichick.

"He met with Belichick, and the meeting ended with a 'blowup,' a source said. He met with Kraft. He got mixed signals," Wickersham reported.

Brady had also reportedly told people he was leaving the team after the Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles following the 2017 season.

Despite his disappointment, he remained with the team and led the squad to a Super Bowl title the next season, the sixth of his career.

He agreed to a two-year extension the next summer, but it was later revealed the final two years of the deal would void and he would become a free agent in 2020.

The veteran's problems with the team continued to grow this past year, including after the Patriots added and then released receiver Antonio Brown.

"He was like, 'Why am I doing this?'" a confidant of Brady told Wickersham.

The year ended with New England losing in the first round of the playoffs, the team's earliest exit since 2009.

Once the offseason came around, Brady appeared headed to free agency for the first time in his career. Though he was considering both the Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers—reportedly telling people he would join the 49ers if they wanted him—both teams committed to their starters from 2019.

While the Patriots were still in the running, Brady's camp felt the "team wanted him only under its rigid terms."

After telling owner Robert Kraft in person that his time in New England was over, he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a two-year deal.

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2020-03-22 16:08:41Z
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