Morning sports update: Josh McDaniels is ‘grateful for the years’ with Tom Brady despite ‘great sadness’
"There will never be another Tom Brady."
Tom Brady is expected to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 20 years in New England. The 42-year-old let Patriots fans know he was leaving on Tuesday morning, and reports emerged hours later that he will sign with the Buccaneers.
Tampa fans were instantly energized. At one point, more than 6,000 fans were waiting in a digital line to get tickets for the 2020 season.
The Patriots, meanwhile, did make a few reported transactions of their own, including an agreement with wide receiver Damiere Byrd, and re-signing linebacker Keionta Davis.
Yet the question remains: Who will be the Patriots’ new starting quarterback?
Josh McDaniels released a statement on Tom Brady: Like Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick, the Patriots’ offensive coordinator put out a statement after Brady announced his New England departure.
“Although I feel a great sadness knowing that he is leaving the Patriots, I am grateful for the years we were together and beyond blessed to call him my friend,” McDaniels wrote of Brady. “He has made an indelible impact on my life and career and I will forever be in his debt.”
“He defined what it means to be a ‘Patriot,'” McDaniels concluded. “He is the best quarterback to ever play in the NFL. I wish him nothing but great happiness and success in all that he does. There will never be another Tom Brady.”
Statement from #Patriots offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels on Tom Brady’s Patriots career: https://t.co/DFmmbzj6OO pic.twitter.com/g0N7GSG0Y7
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) March 17, 2020
Trivia: Who was the Bucs’ starting quarterback the last time they made the playoffs?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was the MVP of the 86th Grey Cup in 1998.
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- 4 things to know about Damiere Byrd
- We’ll never see anything else like Tom Brady
- Buffalo mayor reminds residents to social distance while celebrating Tom Brady’s departure
- 5 quarterback options the Patriots might consider to replace Tom Brady
- USA Basketball is still planning for Tokyo 2020
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- Olympic torch relay goes on, Tokyo seeks crowd ‘restraint’
- NFL is considering delaying approval of free agent deals
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Brad Marchand’s message to fans
:
Movies, painting, and plenty of housework.@Bmarch63 lets us in on what he and his family have been up to.@TDBank_US | #StayingConnected pic.twitter.com/MCkwiXIAux
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 17, 2020
Pedro Martinez says “the book is not finished” on Tom Brady:
The greatest of all time 🏈🐐 Stay happy and healthy in your next chapter… the book is not yet finished 💪🙏 @TomBrady #thegoat #tb12 #respect pic.twitter.com/CVhvrtSi9K
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) March 17, 2020
On this day: Braves move to Milwaukee

Classic rewind: Enjoy Dennis Johnson’s buzzer-beater to win Game 4 of the 1985 NBA Finals against the Lakers.
Trivia answer: Jeff Garcia
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