Patriots owner Robert Kraft offers sincere gesture to Tom Brady: 'The greatest of all time!'
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft may be disappointed with Tom Brady’s decision to leave, but he’s sending the star quarterback off with an endearing goodbye.
Just days after Brady announced that he was leaving to pursue his football career “elsewhere,” Kraft put up several billboards near Gillette Stadium that read “Thank you Tom. The greatest of all time! With love, the Kraft family and the New England Patriots.”
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to ESPN, there are 12 billboards in total, to pay tribute to the number Brady wore for the 20 years he played in New England.
Kraft seemed to disagree with Brady’s leaving, telling ESPN he hoped it had ended differently.
“Tommy initiated contact last night & came over. We had a positive, respectful discussion. It's not the way I want it to end, but I want him to do what is in his best personal interest. After 20 years with us, he has earned that right. I love him like a son,” Kraft said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Multiple reports attributed Brady’s departure to a disagreement in salary and contract length.
WEEI revealed that the six-time Super Bowl champion was offered a one-year contract for less than he made last year during a phone call with head coach Bill Belichick earlier this month.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Brady is expected to officially sign a two-year contract somewhere around $60 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday, according to multiple reports.