A GOAT, a Dolphin and a Shark: The Saga of Tom Brady

Jeffrey May A GOAT, a Dolphin and a Shark: The Saga of TOM BRADY

[{"selector":"#anim-43672aad-d6ae-4492-99e4-cdf984d5f8bb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa13ffa7-9b2e-4a68-8ac7-6b5cd07b8097 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.9009009009009009)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] The strange saga of the un-retirement of Tom Brady is a gift that keeps on giving.

[{"selector":"#anim-20e5c6bc-9f05-4fb1-8b2f-7f02595133f6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-77f5e5ce-80af-4477-9625-ee656774bb80 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(43.57742539575105%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reported that Tom Brady, unhappy with Bruce Arians, found a way out of his Tampa contract.

[{"selector":"#anim-c3ba4d3e-2662-4649-9418-ca144d51cd4e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-056b34cd-8739-43fd-8f0a-6635bd538348 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.8771929824561403)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] He would take a front-office position with the Miami Dolphins, hire Sean Payton to coach, and hope for a trade…

[{"selector":"#anim-a60ea406-773c-4798-984d-0620ec0ca3a4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -146.90347%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b274f057-8147-4fa2-9577-5d070b4bc156 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.8849557522123894)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] …so he could take over as Miami quarterback, to tumultuous applause all around.

[{"selector":"#anim-be046561-d1df-4f2c-bdee-3d4c757546e4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc328eb8-3161-4c26-89d9-a9db49757cf6 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(8.47650922260224%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Like all best-laid plans, though, there was a snag. Bill Belichick.

[{"selector":"#anim-de4a3804-b084-41dd-894c-ce3a493ce590","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-83b8a649-3081-4ffd-87ec-061e2028508d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] A lawsuit against the NFL, instigated by messages sent to Brian Flores by Belichick caused Brady to back out of the deal.

[{"selector":"#anim-4dff551e-11a0-481e-be16-f1a7974d5a68","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0dc5dada-5a5d-45ad-bafd-ff0cece8e6c0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.9523809523809523)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] In mid-March, Brady attended a Manchester United match as a guest of Tampa Bay and Manchester owner Joel Glazer.

[{"selector":"#anim-52d2b75b-c117-4416-bad8-a5c97efb5a30","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -169.85426%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Two days later, Brady un-retired and within two weeks, Bruce Arians handed over the head coaching reins to Todd Bowles.

[{"selector":"#anim-e29fb89e-cb7d-4f5d-947d-52aa4dbc1e79","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.31330%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e6d7c9e-fd55-4e3b-89b5-3609d8af28fd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-18.64653982135765%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The Dolphins ended up without a legend on their staff and their preferred coach in this deal gone sour.

[{"selector":"#anim-59ca51dc-28f6-43ba-a323-39213b47b2fc","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5caac62e-b9a5-44da-92b4-8b2dc7c8e9ae [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.8620689655172413)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"forwards"}] The big winner in the saga can be found wearing a hoodie up in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

[{"selector":"#anim-40d3f21c-60e7-4141-9329-ff8f8a33a023","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":3000,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-87358a31-4c8e-4ff8-a551-cde8a7490ee5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-99.51574%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":1000,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13626db8-0d4b-4bb4-8db3-36565337a346 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 8.788369034928959%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] BRADY'S BACK! In fact, he never went away…

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