National Football League

Starting Fresh

Updated Mar. 17, 2020 7:29 p.m. ET

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Nearly 20 years after his time with the New England Patriots began, Tom Brady has announced it's time to move on.

The future Hall of Fame quarterback took to social media early Tuesday morning to share the news, expressing his love for the Patriots but acknowledging his football journey will "take place elsewhere."

And with that, reports are Brady has a deal in place to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

Here's how the deal was done: 

And here's Skip's early reaction:

Patriots owner Robert Kraft explained how the conversation played out internally, saying that despite the departure, he loves Brady "like a son":

Although the Patriots had been the odds-on favorites to re-sign Brady, according to FOX Bet, our Nick Wright says that the writing was on the wall when it came to Brady's departure:

And both Skip Bayless says this came down to Brady's relationship with Bill Belichick:

While Shannon Sharpe believes that both Belichick and Brady have earned the right to try to win a Super Bowl without the other:

With Brady's announcement, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have become the favorites to land Brady, according to FOX Bet:

Current and former players reacted to the news with a mix of predictions for what's next, appreciation for Brady's time in New England, and surprise:

Brady was famously drafted in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft by the Patriots. He became the starter for New England in 2001, leading the Pats to the first of six Super Bowl titles. He played in a record nine Super Bowls in his 18 healthy seasons as the starting quarterback in New England; he has never had a losing season as a starting QB.

Brady signed what was believed to be a two-year extension with the Patriots in August 2019, a day after his 42nd birthday. However, details later emerged that the deal essentially added money to Brady's deal for 2019 and voided any remaining years on the contract, making Brady a free agent this offseason.

Back in January, Brady caused quite a stir when he posted a photo of himself either walking in or out of Gillette Stadium:

It just ended up being a commercial for Hulu, but apparently the post was more prescient than anyone realized.

With Brady's free agency looming, he and Bill Belichick reportedly met earlier this month, with different sources reporting either that the meeting did not go well or that it was business as usual.

The NFL's legal tampering period began Monday, meaning teams can now speak to Brady about signing for next season. Free agency officially begins on Wednesday.

And of course, there's always ... hockey?!?

This is a developing story. Check back for more updates. 

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