Tom Brady takes less money again? How is that possible? Oh now I remember

Jon Helmkamp|published: Fri 12th March, 13:24 2021

Tom Brady can take less as someone always has his back. source: Getty Images

I feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog’s day.

Well, it’s ‘Tom Brady just agreed to an extension that is really, really favorable for his team’ day … again.

Brady agreed to a one-year extension that will keep him in Tampa Bay through the 2022 season, and once again he took a contract that is structured in a way that provides flexibility to allow his team to make other moves. His terms for 2022 are not yet known, but what is known is the fact that his new extension created $19 million in 2021 cap space.

As long Brady continues to perform and continues to creatively create cap space for his team, he has a great opportunity to continue to win. He’s been doing this for over 20 years now, and understands that being the highest paid quarterback in the league doesn’t equate to being on the best team.

During an appearance in 2019 on Jimmy Kimmel live, Brady said “I think the thing I’ve always felt more for me in my life, winning has been a priority… and my wife makes a lot of money. I’m a little smarter than you think.”

While the latter might be in jest, it certainly doesn’t hurt having a supermodel wife that makes as much per year as Dak Prescott is getting per season in his new deal with the Cowboys. What is not a joke, however, is the fact that Brady’s continual pattern of taking less money certainly might make some of his fellow brothers in the NFL quarterback fraternity a little upset. By not taking the money to be the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, it lowers the salary ceiling for everyone else.

Tampa Bay has already franchise-tagged star wide receiver Chris Godwin, and has agreed to a contract extension with franchise cornerstone linebacker Lavonte Davis. With stud pass rusher Shaq Barrett set to hit free agency, the freed-up cap space from Brady’s new contract might give Tampa Bay enough ammunition to keep him in town as they look to make another Super Bowl run in 2021.

Young quarterbacks are like, “HOw DoEs He KEeP WiNNinG?!” but then they demand to be the highest-paid quarterback in league history. That’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.