Matt Cassel, a former backup of veteran quarterback Tom Brady believes that he will not play for anyone but the New England Patriots next season.
In an interview with the Patriots Talk Podcast hosted by Tom Curran of NBC Sports, Matt Cassel insisted that Brady’s legacy is with the Patriots and playing under head coach Bill Belichick.
"The dynasty that Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have built here is something that obviously they take great pride in, and it's an unbelievable, remarkable accomplishment,” said Cassel, who played for the Patriots from 2005 to 2008 and Brady’s backup for three years.
Earlier, Adam Schefter of ESPN said Brady has three choices after this season, and returning to the Patriots is the least likely option for the 42-year-old signal-caller.
The other two options for Brady, according to Schefter, are to retire or move to another team. Stephen A. Smith said the Tennessee Titans could be an ideal destination for Brady because of his closeness with their head coach Mike Vrabel, a former Patriots linebacker. There were reports that Brady might be interested in joining the Los Angeles Chargers next season. But for Cassel, he believes that Brady won’t be playing for another team in his career. “It's probably going to be with the Patriots or nobody,” said Cassel, who started 15 games for the Patriots in 2008 after Brady went down with a torn ACL in Week 1.
Cassel says Brady won’t join rebuilding squad
Cassel is convinced that Brady won’t put himself in a position playing for a rebuilding team where he’s not comfortable with the offense and everything else. For Cassel, the only thing that could convince Brady to play for another team if it will be coached by current Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
“He'd possibly go do that, but that is so far removed from what I think could possibly happen,” said Cassel. Earlier, Brady expressed dismay over rumors and speculations about his future with the Patriots. In an interview with Jim Gray on Westwood One Radio, Brady said he would try to stick with his initial plan to play until he’s 45 years old.
Patriots sign new kicker
The Patriots did not make any trade before Tuesday’s deadline, but they made a change in their kicker position. The Patriots cut Mike Nugent following his two missed field goals in their 27-13 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. In four games with the Patriots, Nugent went 5-of-8 on field goals and 15-of-16 on extra points. The Patriots then signed Nick Folk as their new kicker, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media. A Pro Bowler in his rookie year in 2007, the 34-year-old Folk last kicked in the NFL in 2017. During his career, he suited up for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
