Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana expressed his displeasure on the New England Patriots for allowing veteran signal-caller Tom Brady, who signed a two-year deal worth $50 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In an interview with Jarrett Bell of USA Today, Montana said he was stunned that Brady left the Patriots after two decades with the team and signed with the Buccaneers. “I don’t know what’s going on inside there, but somebody made a mistake,” said Montana, who was traded by the San Francisco 49ers to the Kansas City Chiefs to pave way for Steve Young as their starter.

The 63-year-old Montana, who played two years for the Chiefs before calling it a career, said his situation is different since he was traded by the 49ers while Brady had the option to stay with the Patriots. “He, obviously, they never would have gotten rid of,” said Montana, adding that he can’t still understand why New England let go of Brady, who led the team to six Super Bowl titles since he became a full-time starter in 2001.

Brady wants more control

According to Montana, Brady’s decision to bolt the Patriots was not about appreciation, but the 42-year-old quarterback wants more control of the offense. While he’s not aware of the details of Brady’s deal with the Buccaneers, Montana said that based on his understanding, Brady is just looking for more control of the offense.

Now that Brady’s with the Buccaneers, Montana said he expects the former Patriots quarterback to be reinvigorated in proving that he’s a winner. “What he wants is a bit more weapons,” Montana said, adding that the Buccaneers have two of the best wide receivers in the game today in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. However, Montana said having weapons cannot automatically lead to wins as he had some up and downs in the latter part of his career despite having many talented targets surrounding him.

Montana say Bucs would adjust offense for Brady

To reduce the learning curve and make Brady adjust to the team quickly, Montana expects the Buccaneers, led by head coach Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, to adjust the offensive scheme and tailor fit it for Brady. Montana said the Buccaneers must adjust to Brady’s quick-release style, rather than keep the ball on his hands longer.

With that in mind, Montana said the Buccaneers should beef up their offensive line to provide enough protection for Brady. Despite the challenges, Montana said next season would be fun for Brady. “Probably for the first time in a long time he’ll be having fun,” said Montana, who was also flattered by Brady’s comments during his first news conference with the Buccaneers. In a teleconference with the media, Brady said he clearly remembered his days as a 49ers fan who looked up to Montana as his idol. “That just means that you’re old,” Montana said when asked to respond to Brady’s statement. As of now, the Patriots have three quarterbacks in second-year player Jarrett Stidham, veteran Brian Hoyer and third-stringer Cody Kessler, but they might add another veteran signal-caller as the need arises.