Tom Brady's three-year, $27 million contract extension has been painted by some as a premier player dealing charitably with his employer. From another angle, Brady is being furnished with $60 million guaranteed by the New England Patriots to play -- or not play -- until he's 40.
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The new deal opens up roughly $15 million in cap space over the next two years, and Brady responded Wednesday by saying that restocking the roster -- and not his bank account -- was the motivation behind the extension.
"I don't want to talk about this on the radio or anywhere else for that matter," Brady wrote in an email to WEEI-FM. "Athletes are always talking about money at a time when everyone else is struggling so badly to make it. We all make way more than our fair share. And I just think it reflects poorly on myself and my teammates. I really do just want to win, and that has and will continue to be the reason that motivates me and is the biggest factor in my decision-making process."
That would come across as manufactured from some athletes, but Brady's determination to put the Patriots in a competitive position shouldn't be repositioned as something other than what it is. Brady played below market value for much of his career without saying a word. He's fine financially -- has been for ages -- but he's telling us that his legacy matters more now. From what we know of Brady, that isn't so hard to believe.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
