Tom Brady announced on Tuesday morning that he will not return to the New England Patriots next season after 20 years as quarterback. The 42-year-old Hall of Famer will now become a free agent for the first time in his career.
LOVE YOU PATS NATION pic.twitter.com/lxSQZmnjPL
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) March 17, 2020
There has been immense speculation on where Brady will play, with many bookmakers offering betting odds for each potential NFL team. Staying in New England had been the heavy favorite since the prop bet first went up on the board, but after Tuesday’s announcement, oddsmakers have adjusted their odds. With Brady opting not to return to the Patriots with which he went to a record nine Super Bowls with (winning six of them) there are several teams that can make a run at him in free agency.
BookMaker.eu posted updated odds for Brady’s next team after the quarterback announced he was leaving New England:
Tom Brady Prop Alert ???
What team will Tom Brady sign with?#Chargers +250#Colts +600#Buccaneers +120#49ers +700#Panthers +900#Lions +1200
Field +400Bet Here? https://t.co/brlhYmf2D7 pic.twitter.com/7SsTp4Luoe
— Official Bookmaker (@bookmaker_eu) March 17, 2020
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+120)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the odds on favorite at +120 (risk $100 to win $120). The Bucs are parting ways with controversial quarterback Jameis Winston who leads the league in interceptions and is the first player in history to reach the 30/30 mark for passing touchdowns and picks in 2019. Reports say that Tampa has made an aggressive offer for Brady, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeting that the Bucs were one of two teams to have offered at least $30 million to bring the star QB aboard for a season:
The #Bucs made a strong offer to QB Tom Brady believed to be $30M or more. The #Chargers did, as well. And now, he’s leaving New England.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 17, 2020
Los Angeles Chargers (+250)
There are plenty of reasons that Brady would want to play for the Chargers—who are now +250 to sign him ($100 would win $250). The Chargers parted from longtime quarterback Philip Rivers this offseason, opening the door for Brady to take over as the unquestioned starter if the Chargers can sign him. The Chargers are debuting the brand new SoFi Stadium and would have lots of talent surrounding him, including wideout Keenan Allen and deep threat Mike Williams, as well as a tight end Hunter Henry. The Chargers are willing to pay a high price for Brady, reportedly offering him over $30 million for the 2020 NFL season.
San Francisco 49ers (+700)
The San Francisco 49ers, Brady’s hometown team, are +700 (risk $100 to win $700) to bring the San Mateo native back to Northern California, but it’s unlikely that the Niners would want to shake things up after reaching the Super Bowl with Jimmy Garoppolo (Brady’s former understudy in New England) and playing out a five-year, $137.5 million contract he signed before the 2018 campaign.
Brady will bring an immense amount of experience to the team he chooses. He has made 41 playoff starts during his two decades in the league and has hinted that he wishes to continue playing until at least the age of 45. His stats did drop during his final season in New England though (Brady’s 24 touchdowns were his least during a campaign in which he played all 16 games since 2006, his 4,057 passing yards the least since 2010 and his quarterback rating of 88.0 his worst since 2013) but the veteran was still able to guide to their 11th consecutive postseason.
Whether Brady ends up choosing the Bucs, Chargers or another squad remains to be seen, so stay tuned for updated odds and information as it becomes available.
(Update 8:01pm: Brady confirms that he will play for Tampa Bay)
Check out he latest NFL futures betting odds.
