The time has come. Tom Brady has officially left the New England Patriots to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Fans were left bewildered at this news and, frankly, they still are. Here’s some insight on his move, and what it means for him, the Patriots, the Buccaneers, and the rest of the NFL. 

At the age of 42, Tom Brady has surpassed all expectations by continuing to play at a high level. Last year, the Patriots had a successful regular season, with twelve wins and four losses. However, all their success was in vain since Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans eliminated them in the first round of the playoffs. Throughout the season, though, Brady proved he was still one of the best quarterbacks in the world. The problem wasn’t Brady but the lack of a strong team around him. He still had a strong offensive line, and a great wide receiver in Julian Edelman, but offensively that was about it. Without Gronk, Brady didn’t have many viable targets to throw to. His decision to join Tampa pairs him up with two of the league’s best receivers: Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. This will allow Brady to extend his career even further as he has two new weapons in his arsenal with whom he can exploit defenses. 

While Brady’s move has definitely benefited himself, the Patriots haven’t looked the same since. On Monday, they released longtime kicker Steven Gostkowski from the team. It is clear that the team is in a rebuilding period now since losing Brady, and things aren’t looking too good for the Pats this upcoming season. However, they can potentially draft a rookie quarterback for the future, which is a route they may take. With this being said, the Patriots will be back and sooner than we think. Bill Belichick is the greatest coach in football, and he can make a formidable team out of unknown players. 

The clear winners of this move are the Buccaneers. The team has struggled at the quarterback position for the past few years with Jameis Winston being an extremely unreliable QB. He was the first quarterback ever to throw the most interceptions, as well as the most throwing yards in a season. With Brady at the helm, the Buccaneers are in for a more reliable QB, which will surely bring them back to playoff glory. “I am really excited to see [Brady] on the Bucs because people will gush over his receiver duo of Godwin and Evans,” said Jiho Park (’20). “However, fans need to remember that Cameron Brate, OJ Howard, and Ronald Jones are all highly touted prospects and I see all of them having career years.”

Due to Brady’s move, the rest of the NFL has been heavily impacted as well. Teams in the AFC East will no longer have to play Tom Brady’s Patriots twice, and AFC rivals such as the Steelers and Chiefs won’t have to face them, as well. The NFC South definitely took a hit with this signing because they have to play Brady and the revamped Buccaneers twice. The Bucs will definitely form new NFC rivals, as well, such as the 49ers and the Packers. While some NFC fans are upset at the move, many respect his decision. “Despite being a huge Giants fan, I appreciate the move because it was done with dignity and respect not only to the Patriots but to the league and the sport itself,” said Ben Fink (’20). “The fact that Brady didn’t even ask to wear the number twelve, or force any new players to be brought to Tampa, shows he’s a class act.” 

Regardless of what team one supports, Brady’s new path is something that any football fan should be excited about. He’s joining an entirely new environment, and while seeing Brady in a different uniform may be difficult, it’ll be great to see him succeed with a new squad.