During his time as a FOX analyst on Sunday, Tom Brady made a surprising revelation about a pivotal moment in his legendary career. Brady, alongside FOX play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt, was covering the Week 4 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium.
As the game entered the fourth quarter, Brady shared an unexpected behind-the-scenes story from his 2020 free agency decision-making process. He explained how he used flashcards to help him choose his next team after leaving the New England Patriots following the 2019 season.
While reminiscing about how he ultimately landed with the Buccaneers, Brady dropped an intriguing piece of information: he had seriously considered signing with the Chicago Bears.
“Chicago was a team, and I’ve never told that story before,” Brady revealed. “They were very stealth in their recruitment. I was seriously considering them, but in the end, it came down to Tampa. It was close to my son Jack, I loved Bruce Arians and the role he played in the offense, and, ultimately, the great players like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, who I’m still watching out there today.”
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Brady had been linked to other teams during his 2020 free agency, including the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers. He also garnered interest from another organization that was later penalized for tampering with the star quarterback. While many teams showed interest in securing Brady’s talents, this is the first time he has admitted that the Bears were a serious contender in his decision-making process.
Ultimately, Brady’s choice to join Tampa Bay paid off in a monumental way. In his first season with the Buccaneers, he led the team to a Super Bowl victory, marking his seventh championship ring.
Though it’s impossible to know what he could have achieved in Chicago, Bears fans are now left to wonder what might have been if their team had secured one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
