Joe Montana Believes Tom Brady’s Departure Was A ‘Mistake’ By The Patriots

Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana said that the New England Patriots made a mistake by letting their former quarterback Tom Brady leave in free agency.

The 63-year-old Montana stirred up the NFL a generation ago in a similar way when he was traded to Kansas City from the 49ers in the end stage of his career. Montana knows the backstory. Brady obviously wanted out of New England or at least the option to go and forced his way onto the market with a clause in his final New England contract that prevented the team from using a franchise tag to keep him.

“I don’t know what’s going on inside there, but somebody made a mistake,” Montana told USA Today Sports.

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“I think when you look at the whole situation, you try to figure out how you want to get away from things that are there,” Montana said. “I had a different story, where they had made a decision. He, obviously, they never would have gotten rid of. I still don’t understand how New England let him get away. I don’t understand that.”

Montana finished his career with the Kansas City Chiefs after 14 seasons and four Super Bowl victories with the San Francisco 49ers. Brady played 20 seasons with the Patriots and six Super Bowls before choosing to leave.

“He wants control. I mean, he wants a lot of control. I don’t know what Tampa Bay gave him, but at some point in time, you’re just a player,” Montana said. “You can try to get what you can and do what you want, but in the end, you’re still not in the hierarchy when it comes to hiring people, firing people and all that.”