Tom Brady reveals he almost signed with Chicago Bears in 2020, discloses why he ultimately chose not to
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: NFL legend Tom Brady recently opened up about a potential stint with the Chicago Bears that had been kept under wraps—until now.
In 2020 — during one of the biggest free-agency frenzies — Brady was not only being courted by well-known teams like the Los Angeles Chargers and the Miami Dolphins, but it turns out that the Bears were also secretly in the mix. However, Brady ultimately turned them down — and now he's revealed why.
After spending a remarkable 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, Brady decided to leave the team following the 2019 season. Fans and media alike were frantically speculating where the six-time Super Bowl champ would go next. The Chargers and Dolphins were hot contenders, but Brady ultimately chose the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But what no one knew until now was that the Chicago Bears were also seriously vying for his attention.
Why Brady chose Tampa over Chicago
During the Bucs' game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Tom Brady dropped the bombshell revelation in his new role as an NFL analyst for Fox Sports.
"Ultimately, Chicago was a team - and I never told that story before - they were very stealth in their recruitment. I was seriously considering them," he said. It turns out that the Bears had been operating under the radar, quietly pursuing the legendary quarterback without disclosing anything to the public.
Though the Bears presented a rather attractive offer, it was Brady’s relationship with his son Jack that swayed him. He admitted that his decision was mostly because he wanted to stay close to his son, who lives in New York. As much as the Bears might have offered, it wasn’t enough to pull Brady away from being a hands-on dad.
“But in the end, it came down to Tampa," he explained. "It was close to my son Jack, I love [then-Bucs coach] Bruce Arians and the role he played in the offense, and ultimately, the great players like [star wide receivers] Mike Evans and Chris Godwin that I'm still out there watching today."
Brady's admission stunned his fellow commentator Kevin Burkhardt as the details had been kept so private. "You know what? They were really under the radar. And nobody would've realized that," Brady revealed.
Once he had made up his mind about Tampa, there was no reason to look back. "Free agency is a tricky thing and once you make your decision there was no looking back, so there's no reason to ever tell anybody that," he added.
A decision that paid off
Looking back, it's clear that Tom Brady made the right call. His choice to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers turned out to be a stroke of genius. In his first season with the Bucs, Brady led the team to a Super Bowl victory—his seventh title—cementing his status as the GOAT (greatest of all time).
Reflecting on that decision, Brady commented, "I just felt like ultimately I made a great decision coming to Tampa."
He noted how much his time in Tampa meant to him, not just for the wins, but for the relationships he built. "What we accomplished as a team, and relationships with [general manager] Jason Licht and his whole staff and all the players... it meant so much to me," he added.
Brady retired "for good" in early 2023 after a 23-season run that saw him breaking records left and right.
According to ESPN, Brady "rewrote" the NFL history books by earning records like most games won (251), most championships (seven), and most regular-season passing yards (89,214). He also holds the honor of being a five-time Super Bowl MVP, more than any other player in history.
Brady may have walked off the field, but he's far from slowing down. With an estimated net worth of $300 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract to become the lead analyst for Fox Sports even before he hung up his cleats.
What's more? Brady also joined the board of Delta Air Lines as a strategic adviser last year.
