What Dolphins’ tampering case says (and doesn’t say) about Tom Brady, Bucs
So, it is true.
While he was trying to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back to the Super Bowl last season, Tom Brady was also having private discussions with the Miami Dolphins about life after the 2021 football season.
Those discussions centered around Brady potentially becoming part-owner of the franchise, but also included the possibility of him playing for the team.
This all according to an investigation by the NFL, which found the Dolphins to have violated the league’s tampering rules by having “impermissible” contact with both Brady and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, in an effort to lure both to the franchise.
Miami’s attempts to do so failed, and instead earned them a laundry list of penalties, which where handed down by the league Tuesday. Among other things, the Dolphins have been docked their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft, and their third-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
While it would be understandable for Bucs fans to be miffed at Brady for spending valuable time and energy late last season having discussions with another NFL team, especially considering their early playoff exit, this doesn’t look like a case of the GOAT cheating on his team.
Brady has long been preparing for life after football, as is evidenced by the growth of his many business ventures in recent years, and his increased public presence as an ambassador for his brands. Much like his potential move to the booth for Fox Sports whenever he happens to retire, the fact that Brady was discussing the potential to own a piece of an NFL franchise whenever he hung up his cleats shouldn’t come as some nefarious shock.
As to the idea that Brady might end up playing for the Dolphins after becoming part of the ownership group, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington broke down why that idea was extremely far-fetched:
Thread: You know the part of the investigation that reveals the Dolphins talked to Brady about becoming a limited partner and "also included the possibility of his playing for the Dolphins?" Fun fact: They didn't know it yet, but it would have been almost impossible to pull off.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) August 2, 2022
Because of the potential salary cap implications, I'd previously dug into this at one point with the NFL. They told me for Brady to own part of the team — and also play for the team — it would have needed to go to a vote of all owners.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) August 2, 2022
Per the league: "Current policy stipulates that a current player or coach could have a financial interest in his or her club but only under an agreement affirmed by a vote of the 32 teams. Among the considerations could be salary cap implications."
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) August 2, 2022
In other words… imagine this: Brady buys a piece of the team. He comes out of retirement and wiggles out of Bucs contract. Next? Kraft… Glazers… the AFC East owners… all have to vote to allow him to play in Miami. Now THAT would be an owners' meeting worth attending.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) August 2, 2022
Considering all those factors, it seems much more plausible that the idea of Brady being an owner/player for the Dolphins was a pie-in-the-sky dream for the team, instead of a reality the quarterback himself was pushing for, let alone something that ever would have become a reality.
It makes plenty of sense that the Dolphins would have wanted Brady to be their quarterback, while being part-owner. It makes far less sense that Brady wouldn’t have realized how unrealistic of a scenario that was, and instead was merely putting more potential ducks in a row in terms of his post-playing business life.
It’s also worth remembering that Brady was still under contract with the Bucs for the 2022 season. If the Dolphins had their hopes set on Brady being their quarterback this season, they would have had to convince the Bucs to trade him, as The Athletic’s Greg Auman points out:
Important to remember that Dolphins wanted Brady, talked to Brady with hopes of getting him, but he has been under contract with Bucs since March 2020, so they’d still have to acquire him via trade if they wanted to play him. That’s always been the biggest obstacle.
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) August 2, 2022
Back in June, Brady was asked about the rumors that he had been in contact with the Dolphins, and while he didn’t specifically deny anything, he made it clear that any “conversations” that were had pertained to his plans after football, rather than any plans to keep playing elsewhere (via ESPN’s Jenna Laine):
Tom Brady was asked in June if he ever had conversations with the Dolphins about joining their organization in any capacity. He did not deny it but reaffirmed his commitment to the Bucs. pic.twitter.com/HLbQjlEWQf
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) August 2, 2022
So, while it makes for a more juicy story to think that Brady was just fed up with Bruce Arians and wanted to go play somewhere else, the reality still appears to be that Brady was interested in an ownership role with the Dolphins after his playing days were over.
And while the Dolphins might have had delusions of grandeur regarding his potential to be their quarterback, that would have been nearly impossible to pull off, and there’s still no hard evidence that Brady was even interested in that kind of scenario.
We’ll never know what would have happened, but Bucs fans can at least rest easy knowing that here in reality, Brady is still their quarterback for at least one more year, giving them another legitimate shot at the Lombardi Trophy.
Meanwhile, for what feels like the millionth time, the Dolphins came for Tom Brady and lost.
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Dolphins pay steep price for failed attempt at luring Tom Brady, Sean Payton
