This deal is eye-catching for several reasons. After all the Joe Flacco talk of this postseason- one issue was highlighted particularly about Joe- his worth to his franchise. He was a man in search of a paycheck- and he earned it. It seems after his super bowl win, his value stands at approximately 20 million dollars a year.
Now considering Tom, unquestionably in the conversation for greatest football player to even touch the pigskin, his value on the free market, even at age 37, would almost certainly exceed this. Next year, Tom will make 7 million dollars. This leaves him taking a $13 million dollar paycut- at minimum.
While Tom is not the first, nor will he be the last, great player to take a paycut in search of a championship, a move like this is without precedent. His reasoning is clear- his Facebook page last night lit up with two simple words: Just Win.
Tom Brady today stands as the greatest living American. The pages of his book could not have been written in a more fitting fashion. He was a kid who pulled himself up from his bootstraps to the forefront of American culture. He was not born into his greatness. He was passed up, ignored, left for dead. At Michigan, when he was benched. At the draft, #199. You can see it in his eyes, even at age 37. The fire, the ethos. The pain he turned to glory. Twisted, angry, unadulterated glory. The Patriots are the most quintessentially American team, by nickname. He suits up in red, white and blue every Sunday. His monetary sacrifice reminds one of the legendary Alexander the great scene- Alexander, as the general, is given the last bucket of water, his men, lost in the desert. He pours the bucket out, stating, "We live together, we die together." Overall, America is a nation who's mantra is: Win. and Tom Brady is the ultimate winner. Here's a toast to the greatest American with a heartbeat.
