Tom Brady to Leave Patriots, Auguring Shift of Millions for NFL

(Bloomberg) -- Tom Brady said he’s leaving the New England Patriots, meaning the National Football League’s most visible and most popular player will likely play next season in another uniform.

Brady’s announcement, posted on his Instagram and Twitter accounts, could have a dynamic impact on the league’s business. Brady is a rare breed of athlete, similar to LeBron James in the NBA, whose free agency can shift ticket prices, influence millions of dollars in merchandise sales, and maybe even tilt the league’s television ratings.

“I don’t know what my football future holds but it is time for me to open a new stage for my life and career,” Brady, 42, said Tuesday morning.

Though the U.S. sports world is shut down, including many NFL off-season activities, football free agency is humming along. This is the first time in his career that Brady has been a free agent, and the quarterback could sign with a new team any day.

In 20 seasons with the Patriots, Brady won six Super Bowl titles, four Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards and was named to the Pro Bowl 14 times. He and coach Bill Belichick built a dynasty previously unseen in the NFL, winning the AFC East division 17 times. The Patriots are now worth $4.1 billion, second most in the NFL, according to Forbes magazine.

Landing Brady will help his next team off the field as well. Despite playing two decades for New England and always sporting the same number, 12, Brady routinely topped the players union’s list of merchandise sales. In 2017 and 2018, for example, he sold more products than any other player. Last year he was second, behind budding star Patrick Mahomes.

In a sport where players are obscured by helmets while they play, Brady is also likely the game’s most recognizable player. That’s led to a whole suite of endorsements, including Under Armour clothing, Tag Heuer watches, Ugg boots and Aston Martin cars. He also has his own line of wellness products, called TB12.

​That popularity comes with an outsized amount of power, when he chooses to use it. In 2011 when the NFL Players Association decertified, opening the door for players to file an antitrust suit against the NFL, Brady’s was the first name on the lawsuit. Four years later, he sued the NFL for suspending him in the “deflategate” ball-tampering scandal, a lawsuit he eventually won.

There are a number of NFL teams that need a quarterback, and despite his age, Brady will likely be in high demand. His likely landing spots include the Los Angeles Chargers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Perhaps foreshadowing the move, Brady and his wife, model Gisele Bundchen, put their mansion in the Boston suburb of Brookline, Massachusetts, up for sale last year. The home remains on the market, with its asking price having been lowered to $33.9 million from $39.5 million.

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