Over the past month or so, rumors of Tom Brady joining the Miami Dolphins as a minority owner have surfaced. They were also trying to get Sean Payton to become their next Head Coach after firing Brian Flores.
Brady’s retirement was perfectly timed. He was set to start his career as an NFL executive and shortly after, the Dolphins would give up draft compensation for the Bucs to give up his contract rights.
However, as we already know by now, Brian Flores’ lawsuit all but killed the deal. Now,Chris Simms of NBC Sports reported just how closed the Dolphins were to pulling off one of the biggest heists in NFL history.
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“This is real. This happened,” Simms said. “There was compensation talked about and already put in place. It was way farther down the line than Sean Payton’s ever going to let you know, or the NFL, because there were so many rules and bylaws broken by the NFL that they’re trying to act like it didn’t really happen.”
“The Dolphins broke every rule in the book by pursuing Brady and Sean Payton and all that,” Simms added. “But yes, it was a very real, tangible thing, and the Brian Flores lawsuit and everything there definitely threw a wrench in it, a curveball in it, whatever you want to say, and kind of ended it.”
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The Dolphins’ Plan Seemed Flawless
The Dolphins were ready to give up multiple valuable draft assets to land their new superstar duo. The Bucs were willing to play ball, and Payton wasn’t going to retire as he did a couple of months ago:
“I was led to believe that it already had been talked about that (the Dolphins) were going to trade a second-round pick to Tampa Bay to get Brady. (The Bucs) weren’t going to hold him hostage,” Simms said. “Sean Payton and the Saints, that was going to be a first-round pick to get that deal done.”
“And yes, the way I was told (it was going to be) Sean Payton head coach, Brady-Bruce Beal part-owner, going to give (Brady) a little time: ‘Oh yeah, I’m retired, but oh wait, I changed my mind, this Dolphins thing’s so good,’ and then come back and play with the Dolphins,” Simms added.“That was what the plan was. That’s where the stars were trying to be aligned by Brady and Sean Payton. And of course it got upset by that (lawsuit).”
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It’s crazy to wonder what could’ve been if this deal would’ve gone down. One thing’s for sure: the race for the AFC East would’ve been a bloodbath. Now, Dolphins fans can only look at the horizon, sigh, and weep.
