Tom Brady reveals he almost signed with Bears over Buccaneers
Fun fact: no Chicago Bears Bears has thrown for 30+ passing touchdowns and 4000+ passing yards since the forward pass was invented. While that seems like the standard for most quarterbacks lately, it's surreal that one of the NFL's oldest franchises has never accomplished such a feat. Bears fans hope Caleb Williams is the first quarterback to achieve this for Chicago . However, NFL legend Tom Brady might've been the first because he almost signed with the Bears instead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020.
"So, I saw these at the house and brought them since I thought I'd show K.B. (Kevin Burkhardt)," said Brady while broadcasting. "There were a lot of reasons why I chose Tampa, and I made a list with 18 criteria why. There were things from the salary, the weather, the facilities, and how great the players were. Ultimately, Chicago was a team, and I've never told this story before; they were stealthy in their recruitment. I was seriously considering them.
"Anyhow, it came down to Tampa. It was close to my son, Jack. I loved Bruce Arians and the role he played in our offense. And ultimately, the great players like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin that I'm still watching today."
What would it have been like if Tom Brady joined the Bears in 2020?
That's right. Chicago would've had the greatest basketball and football players of all time representing the city and possibly winning championships. If Brady had signed with the Bears in 2020, he would've joined a team that, like the Buccaneers, could've given him a path to win the Super Bowl immediately. Chicago had Allen Robinson in his prime as a No. 1 option. The Bears also had two rookies in tight end Cole Kmet and wideout Darnell Mooney to bolster the offense. Meanwhile, rookie cornerback Jaylon Johnson was joining a stout defense, giving Brady a perfectly balanced team.
Instead, Brady led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title during his first season in Tampa Bay. It was his seventh Super Bowl win, and Brady earned his fifth Super Bowl MVP award. He spent two more seasons with Tampa Bay before retiring after the 2022 campaign.
Unfortunately, knowing this will only leave Bears fans feeling even more bitter. Chicago hasn't reached a Super Bowl since 2006 and hasn't won a championship in nearly 40 years. They have struggled through some very rough seasons over the past few years. If Brady were at quarterback in 2020, the Bears would've had a real shot at winning a Super Bowl.
