Report: Tom Brady Set For Buccaneers Physical Thursday In New York
BOSTON (CBS) -- News that Tom Brady was set to sign with the Buccaneers broke Tuesday night. It couldn't be "announced" by Brady until Wednesday, but it was expected to drop as soon as the NFL's new league year opened at 4 p.m.
Alas, here we are Thursday morning and there's still no word of a Brady-Buccaneers pact. What's the hold up? Could Brady be feeling some remorse for leaving the one team he's ever played for?!?
No, that is not the case. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the two sides were "still trying to finalize contract language" as of Wednesday night. That is a more challenging task this offseason, which is what's causing the delay.
Bucs and Tom Brady still trying to finalize contract language as of Wednesday night and those discussions will go into Thursday, per source. Contract language more challenging this off-season than any time in recent memory. No problems forseen with Bucs-Brady, but no deal yet.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2020
As Schefter noted, no problems are expected to pop up in these final stages of the Brady signing. Pro Football Talk jumped on the report early Thursday morning, adding that the location of Brady's physical is the main hold up at this point.
Per source: The issue is the location of the Brady physical and who the doctor will be, given the league's COVID-19 rules. https://t.co/rvfC2rVBhT
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 19, 2020
This is fairly common around the NFL as the world deals with the coronavirus outbreak.
One issue for the #Bucs and Tom Brady — same issue most FAs are having — teams can't send a private plane to pick him up & take him to the facility. Or off-site. It's not allowed. And they can't travel to see him. So getting a physical with a doctor everyone agrees on is tricky.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 19, 2020
No concern over finding a doctor to perform Tom Brady's physical. He's able to make that happen today in New York. It would be ideal if it was the Bucs' team doctors — but these are unprecedented times and everyone is on the same page. Everything is moving along just fine.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) March 19, 2020
So if you were hoping this delay would lead to Brady pulling a Josh McDaniels, leaving the Bucs at the altar at the last second, it doesn't sound like this saga will play out like a soap opera. At some point in the very near future, Tom Brady will be quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.