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NFL Notebook, Wild Card: Tom Brady and Patriots, Tua Tagovailoa, awards and more

By Zach Cohen

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 04: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans is congratulated by Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots after their 20-13 win in the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - JANUARY 04: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Tennessee Titans is congratulated by Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots after their 20-13 win in the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 04: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots looks on during the the AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 04: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots looks on during the the AFC Wild Card Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on January 04, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

The Patriots Dynasty is…?

Where to even start.

I called a close game in last week’s notebook, though I couldn’t push myself to pick Tennessee as the winners. Fast forward to now and the speculation about New England is off the charts.

Could this be the end of the Patriots’ dynasty? Did Tom Brady play his last game as a Patriot? Will Bill Belichick retire? Where will Josh McDaniels coach next season? Those are plenty of questions that won’t be answered for some time, but what do we know?

What We Know

  • Tom Brady is a free agent. (New England can’t use the franchise tag on him, either.)
  • Brady won’t take a hometown discount to stay, per Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer.
  • Brady is coming off arguably his worst season yet. His QBR was 52.5, his lowest since the stat was first recorded in 2006.
  • Josh McDaniels will interview with the Giants, Panthers and Browns.

What We Don’t Know

  • The Patriots’ plans for Brady.
  • Brady’s plans for next season.

It’s easy to jump to conclusions and claim that Ryan Fitzpatrick, who helped send the Patriots to their first Wild Card appearance since 2009, and Derrick Henry, who helped send the Patriots to their couches, helped end the greatest dynasty in modern football history.

The truth is that we won’t know how this all shapes out for a long time. We may find out sooner if Brady decides to hang up his cleats or play elsewhere, but maybe Brady returns to New England next season.

I’ve never doubted the Patriots, which makes it crazier for me to say this: I’d bet on the dynasty ending. Obviously, there are numerous factors that could ultimately lead to New England’s fall from grace, as I listed earlier. There’s been drama before, and questions of age, and concerns about lack of supporting talent, but this time just feels different.

As we wait to see this all unfold in New England, I can’t help but feel somewhat appreciative to have witnessed such a legendary force, even if it was at the expense of my own team.

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