During the 2020 offseason, the Tom Brady sweepstakes were a hot topic as the legendary quarterback decided to depart from the New England Patriots and sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady ultimately led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title over the Kansas City Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes. While calling the Buccaneers and Philadelphia Eagles game, Brady revealed that the Chicago Bears were among the teams interested in recruiting him as their quarterback. Brady disclosed that Chicago was stealthy in their recruitment efforts and he was seriously considering them as a potential landing spot, but ultimately chose Tampa Bay due to its proximity to his son Jack, his admiration for then-Bucs coach Bruce Arians, and the talented players like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin on the team.
The involvement of the Chicago Bears in Brady’s free agency market was a surprise to many as rumors had suggested that teams like the Los Angeles Chargers and Miami Dolphins were interested in him. The San Francisco 49ers and Las Vegas Raiders were also considered potential landing spots, but they already had quarterbacks in place. Brady mentioned that the Bears’ interest was under the radar and not widely known, and he had never disclosed it before. Despite considering Chicago, Brady ultimately made the decision to join the Buccaneers and had no reason to reveal the extent of the Bears’ interest in him.
The Bears had a mediocre 2020 season, finishing 8-8 and losing in the wild-card round of the playoffs with Mitchell Trubisky as their quarterback. The team subsequently acquired Justin Fields and now has Caleb Williams as their potential quarterback options. With the addition of Fields and Williams, the Bears have a new direction at the quarterback position and are looking to build upon their past shortcomings. Brady’s revelation about the Bears’ recruitment efforts shed light on the team’s interest in acquiring a veteran quarterback of his caliber, but their pursuit ultimately fell short as Brady chose to sign with the Buccaneers.
The 2020 offseason was filled with speculation and anticipation regarding Tom Brady’s next landing spot after leaving the Patriots. The Buccaneers emerged as the frontrunners in acquiring Brady’s services, ultimately leading to a successful season and a Super Bowl victory. Brady’s decision-making process involved considering various factors such as team location, coaching staff, and roster talent, all of which played a role in his choice to join Tampa Bay. Despite the Bears’ stealthy recruitment efforts, they were unable to secure Brady as their quarterback, leading to a different path for the team in terms of player acquisitions and roster building.
Brady’s revelation about the Bears’ interest in him added a new perspective to his free agency decision-making process and shed light on the behind-the-scenes negotiations that take place during the offseason. The competitive nature of free agency often leads to teams vying for top-tier talent like Brady, and the Bears’ under-the-radar pursuit of the veteran quarterback reflects the lengths teams will go to in order to improve their roster. As the Bears move forward with Fields and Williams as their potential franchise quarterbacks, the revelation of their interest in Brady serves as a reminder of the team’s willingness to explore all options in order to upgrade their roster and compete at a high level in the NFL.
