Getty Could Tom Brady of the New England Patriots be a Chicago Bear next season? (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Perhaps Boston Globe writer Dan Shaughnessy didn’t mean to put ideas in the heads of Chicago Bears fans. But when Shaughnessy went on ESPN 100’s Kap and Company and told host David Kaplan that he thought New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady would “absolutely” listen to offers from Bears GM Ryan Pace, the Brady-to-Chicago rumor mill began churning rapidly again.
Shaughnessy noted multiple reasons why Brady would consider Chicago, and while not all of them are football-related, it’s still a fun thought for Bears fans starved for excellence at the quarterback position to entertain. Here’s what he said…
Chicago Could Be Excellent Location For Brady To Expand His Brand
Some talk surrounding Brady leaving New England has him heading to Los Angeles to play for the Chargers, and NFL analyst Brian Baldinger has suggested Brady head to Miami, where he could groom Tua Tagovailoa, should the Dolphins decide to draft the young QB out of Alabama. Shaughnessy thinks Chicago may be the most attractive destination for Brady, however, largely because of the promotional possibilities that could follow if Brady still shows he can succeed with a different team, especially as he gets older.
“The TB12 brand, he’s the best advertiser if he wants this to be a global entity — if he can show that he can play NFL quarterback at 45. That’s the promotional aspect of spreading the brand. If I were him, I would’ve retired last year. The confetti was falling on my head. Just won another Super Bowl. You’re 41. It would’ve been the perfect time to walk off. That hasn’t happened. Doesn’t feel like it’s going to happen. Chicago’s as good as the Chargers or Dolphins. Maybe better,” Shaughnessy said.
What Would it Take to Get Tom Brady in a Bears Uniform?
Shaughnessy was then asked if he thought Brady would even consider playing for the Bears, given their current quarterback situation, if Brady were offered, say, a huge $70 million, 2-year contract. “Absolutely,” Shaughnessy said, noting that the mere presence of Brady in Chicago coupled with the media attention the deal would receive could be a fiscal boon for the Bears and the entire city.
“If I’m the Bears, I would do it,” Shaughnessy said of pursuing Brady. “The interest in your team would be off the charts.”
Most fans and analysts who cover the Bears closely know that Chicago has very little room in their salary cap to make any huge moves like this, and they certainly don’t currently have $70 million to make this offer. The Bears are in the bottom five teams in the league in terms of salary cap space.
However — blockbuster trades are always possible, and if Ryan Pace decides he wants to go after Brady, he could always attempt to trade away some of his major cap liabilities.
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