Tom Brady caused a stir in the NFL when, in 2020, he officially joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ending a long career with the New England Patriots. The football legend shared that he attempted to lure a former teammate to join him.
It’s easy to imagine that saying no to a player like Brady, especially after sharing an entire career with such a star, would be difficult. However, in the case of one of Brady’s closest teammates from the Patriots, loyalty to the team took precedence.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Brady revealed that when he joined the Buccaneers, he tried to convince wide receiver Julian Edelman to come along for what would be a glorious season. Edelman, who was next to Brady on the video, confirmed saying, “He called me,” but Brady admitted the answer of his former teammate: “He rejected me”.
Tom Brady confirms that there was an attempt to get Julian Edelman to join forces with he and Gronk in Tampa Bay. Edelman: “He called me.” Brady: “He rejected me.” (YT: @TomBrady)
The two former players laughed in the video, as they both know they had glorious days with the Patriots, where they won three Super Bowls together. It remains a mystery what might have happened if Brady and Edelman had played for the Buccaneers during one of Brady’s three seasons as the NFL’s all-time Super Bowl champion in Tampa Bay.
Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots and Julian Edelman #11 talk on the sideline during the preseason game between the Carolina Panthers and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 22, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
One area where Edelman and Brady do agree is their new careers off the field. Both former teammates are now sports commentators for FOX. Brady made his debut in this role by commenting on Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season, in the game where the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Cleveland Browns 33-19. Edelman, on the other hand, has been working as a broadcaster for a year.
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When Did Brady Make His Proposal to Edelman?
Tom Brady did not reveal the exact date of his call to former teammate Julian Edelman, but it could have been between the first and second of the three seasons Brady spent with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The wide receiver could have been a significant asset for Brady in 2021, when the Bucs did not advance beyond the divisional round, losing to the Los Angeles Rams.
Rob Gronkowski: The Player Who Did Join Tom Brady on the Buccaneers
Rob Gronkowski was Tom Brady’s teammate with the New England Patriots from 2010 to 2020, the year Brady moved to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to pursue his seventh Vince Lombardi Trophy. The former tight end won four Super Bowl rings during his career, three with the Patriots and one with the Bucs, before retiring from professional football in 2022.
