Reports: No Ill Will Between Patriots, Tom Brady Ahead Of Contract Talks
By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- It's now officially late February. And nobody knows anything about Tom Brady's future. By pretty much all reports, even the Patriots and Brady do not know what the next month will mean for their futures and legacies.
Nevertheless, with free agency officially one month away, there is something of a positive development for anyone hoping or wanting to see the Patriots and Brady get the band back together for another year or two.
NBC Sports Boston's Tom E. Curran reported that "there is very little rancor right now" between the Patriots and Brady, something that has not always been the case when it comes time for contract talks.
"The sides are going to work to make it work," Curran said. "[Disagreements about] why they are here, what could have been done to avoid this, who's right, who's wrong, who's to blame? I'm not sensing it."
Curran added: "Nobody seems to have an active resentment. Also, I think the gravity of what may loom – the specter of a historic 20-year run ending – has added an air of solemnity."
NFL Network's Mike Giardi said that he has heard the same.
"There is no rancor between the two sides at this moment," Giardi said. "Most players understand the real business doesn't go down til March anyway, [especially] with this team."
Good note for @tomecurran in his most recent piece that I had heard as well...that there is no rancor between the two sides at this moment. Most players understand the real business doesn't go down til March anyway, esp with this team.
— Mike Giardi (@MikeGiardi) February 18, 2020
In any event, with the combine set to begin this weekend, agents and teams will begin their back-door channeling, and a real market for Brady will begin to crystallize.
Until then ... we'll have to settle for emojis sent from Brady to Ben Affleck.
Shrug emoji, indeed.