How close did Tom Brady come to signing with the Saints?

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We all know that Tom Brady is now a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. However, he was very close to joining a different team following his departure from New England after the 2019 season.

ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington added a little context to Brady’s most recent comments, which caught a lot of media attention. Multiple teams pursued Brady during free agency last year. Before he decided on the Buccaneers, he considered joining one of Tampa Bay’s division rivals.

“People still underestimate how close Tom Brady was to signing with the New Orleans Saints up until he ultimately decided on the Bucs,” Darlington said on Tuesday’s “Get Up.” “I know that’s going to be a statement people try to question. It’s the truth.”

“Ultimately, Drew Brees decided to delay his broadcasting career and come back for one more season. The Saints did the right thing by bringing Brees back,” Darlington said. “No question in my mind, the Saints, despite knowing that they did what they had to do, there is a little bit of — let’s call it regret — that Tom Brady is not their quarterback.”

Brady defeated Brees in the final game of his career. On top of that, he delivered Tampa Bay their first Super Bowl in almost two decades. One has to assume the Saints are indeed regretting the decision.

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