Why Tom Brady Should Become the Highest Paid Quarterback in the NFL

Football is a business. That is what every athlete and owner will tell you, after another player walks away from his team, or is traded. The same holds true in every sport these days, but my attention is focused on the New England Patriots, and Tom Brady. #12 is coming up on a contract year, and at the end of 2010, he could leave the Pats as a free agent. The Patriots without Tom Brady? We tried that in 2008, and did not make the playoffs.

Before I start to rant and rave about the virtues of #12, let's face facts. In his 10 years with Patriots, Tom is 111-34 as a starter. Every time Brady is on the field, the Patriots have a great chance of winning the game. That's simple. After watching Drew Bledsoe for a decade, I think the reasons for Tom's success easily stands out. He is a leader. He is the team leader, on, and off the field. He is the first one to take the blame after a loss, and the last one to take the credit when he wins. That, despite all of his success, has never changed.

Another thing that a team leader does, is to watch out for what kind of product the team puts on the field. Not that Tom has ever meddled with management decisions, he leaves that to Coach Bill, and team owner Robert Kraft. What Tom does is a lot more quiet, and frankly never publicized the way it should be. Many times over the last ten years, Tom had restructured his contract, so the team could sign a player who wants to be paid more. In fact, in his ten years, Brady has been the highest paid Quarterback in the NFL for a total of one year, 2006.The Manning Brothers, Big Ben, Phillip Rivers, and many others have gotten paid more than Tom. in any given year. Tom's take on that is his simple quote, repeated many times. 'I'm just happy to be part of this organization, and to be playing the game I love." Taking a pay cut, to stay with a team, he MUST be a leader.

I haven't heard #12 saying anything about other Quarterback contracts, or how he should be the highest paid guy. He leaves that to others, like me. While I suspect he will never be the highest paid, I think it's time for him to be rewarded for his efforts. One could argue that he is now over 30, had major surgery, causing him to sit out an entire season, and is 0-2 in his last two post season games. Now argue with these stats.

Tom holds the record for most consecutive wins in Post Season with 10, most completions in the Super Bowl, with 100, the highest completion percentage in a single game, (26 0f 28, 92.9, against Jacksonville in the 2007 post season), he is tied for the most completions in a Super Bowl single game, with 32 completions, (matched this year by Drew Brees). He is a 2 time Super Bowl MVP, and 3 time Super Bowl winner, which is easily unmatched by any Quarterback in the modern era. I could keep going, but do I need to?

The very thought that #12 could wear another uniform, before he retires, makes my heart stop. Tom IS the New England Patriots. This year, in the off season, the Pats have to deal with another player, Vince Wilfolk, who is very deserving of a big contract, so I'm guessing that #12 will once again work with the Pats to find the right solution to the money part. That is what a leader does.

I end saying this. Mr. Kraft, you are a great owner. You have given us a quality team every single season, for many years. How about handing the guy who was instrumental in that success, #12, a blank check, and tell him to fill it in. You know he won't be greedy, and we could end up watching the best Quarterback in football for as long as he wants to play his favorite game. Go Pats!