NFL Rumors: Here's why Dolphins backed out of Tom Brady-Sean Payton pursuit

It looks like the front office of the Miami Dolphins expect 2022 to be a big year for the franchise. Last year, they decided to part ways with Brian Flores after three seasons with no playoffs and stayed busy since then.

While they put all the Deshaun Watson rumors to rest by committing to Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback, Miami also appointed Mike McDaniel as head coach and eventually traded for star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, among other important moves.

However, the Fins could have gone even further. Miami was linked with a potential interest in bringing in Tom Brady and Sean Payton to South Florida, something that according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk was really on the cards before the Brian Flores lawsuit.

NFL Rumors: Dolphins wantedBrady to become minority owner as first step of the TB12-Payton plan

(Transcript via ProFootballTalk)

“When we reported on February 28 that the Dolphins had planned to pursue a Sean Payton/Tom Brady package deal, the Dolphins privately acknowledged that they had contacted the Saints about the possibility of hiring Payton.

As to Brady, the Dolphins privately acknowledged that there had been discussions about Brady becoming a minority owner of the team.Then came the Brian Flores lawsuit. Filed (coincidentally or not) the same day Brady retired, the litigation resulted in the plug being pulled on the Payton/Brady plan.

After Brady became a minority owner, the Dolphins would have indeed acquired the contractual rights to employ Payton from the Saints. Then, the Dolphins would have at some point gotten the rights from the Buccaneers to bring Brady to the roster.”

The idea of Brady being part of the Dolphins in any role may sound a bit strange if we consider his past at the Patriots, while the hiring of Sean Payton would also seem unlikelyas he decided to step away from the Saints this year.

Either way, the truth is that everyone has taken a different route. While TB12 came back from retirement to play at least another season with the Buccaneers, the Dolphins believed in McDaniel to begin a new era with Tua at the helm of the offense.