By Alex Barth, 985TheSportsHub.com
The phone call heard ’round New England.
It might as well have been. According to numerous sources, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady spoke on the phone on Tuesday to discuss the quarterback’s future.
NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran says the conversation “wasn’t particularly productive” and said a source told him “Belichick spoke as if Brady was ‘still under contract.'”
A few things to keep in mind with this news. First, Belichick has been known to be notoriously cold during negotiations with key players in the past. Ty Law, Ted Johnson, Richard Seymour, and others can attest to that. This is nothing out of the ordinary for Bill.
Oct 27, 2019; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick with quarterback Tom Brady (12) after defeating the Cleveland Browns at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
Second, Brady won’t be the one doing the actual negotiating with Belichick when it comes to the contract. That’s what he pays Don Yee for. This was likely a bigger picture conversation.
Something as complicated as Brady’s 2020 plans isn’t going to be solved over one phone call. If the Patriots want Brady back (which Curran and others have reported is the case), they’ll take the steps necessary to make that happen. One grumpy phone call isn’t ideal, but it shouldn’t change much.