5 incidents involving Tom Brady that shocked NFL fans

Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. His accomplishments on the field are unmatched and he holds a seemingly endless list of NFL records from his career with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This includes career passing yards (84,520), touchdowns (624), wins (243), and Super Bowl victories (seven).

While his undeniable greatness on the football field has cemented his legacy in NFL history, Brady hasn't always avoided controversy. He has made headlines over the years for being mixed up in relatively controversial situations.

Here are five such examples.

#1 Miami Dolphins ownership scandal

The Miami Dolphins were involved in one of the wildest rumors during the 2022 NFL offseason. They were allegedly recruiting Sean Payton to be their next head coach and Brady to be their quarterback. Brady was also apparently in negotiations to receive an ownership stake in the franchise.

The NFL determined the rumors were true during an investigation and punished the Dolphins for tampering with players and coaches under contract with a different team. Owner Stephen Ross was fined $1.5 million and suspended for the beginning of the 2022 NFL season. The Dolphins were also forced to forfeit two draft picks.

#2 Tom Brady's retirement and NFL return

Brady made a huge announcement during the 2022 NFL offseason. He officially retired after more than two decades of dominance. It appeared that the greatest career in NFL history had finally come to an end. The rest of the NFC South breathed a huge sigh of relief and the Buccaneers looked to be in trouble for the 2022 campaign. But it didn't last long.

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Less than two months after the announcement, Brady changed his mind and announced that he would return for at least one more season. There are many theories as to why things played out this way, but the real reasons may never be known.

#3 The Deflategate scandal

Tom Brady was involved in one of the most infamous scandals in NFL history. He was accused of requesting an equipment manager to illegally deflate some of the footballs that would be used during the 2014 season's AFC Championship Game. The matchup was against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Patriots won the game by a massive 45-7 margin and eventually went on to win the Super Bowl. After a lengthy investigation, Brady was found guilty by the NFL. They ruled that he had knowledge of the situation and was involved in tampering with game balls. Brady was suspended for four games while the Patriots were fined a million dollars and forced to surrender two draft picks.

#4 When Tom Brady switched teams

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick formed the greatest quarterback-head coach combination in NFL history during their time at the New England Patriots. They won six Super Bowl rings together in nine Super Bowl appearances. Both of these are NFL records and are among their incredible list of accomplishments as a duo.

Most believed that Brady would remain with the Patriots for the entirety of his career. But he shockingly signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2020 NFL offseason. It's unclear the exact reasoning behind his departure, but many believe it had something to do with his relationship with Belichick. Both sides deny it, but there seems to be more to the story than meets the eye.

#5 Rumored rift with Bruce Arians

When Bruce Arians suddenly retired from his head coaching position during the 2022 NFL offseason, many questioned the timing. The Buccaneers are projected to be Super Bowl contenders during the 2022 NFL season, which is Brady's final year of his contract.

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Waiting at least one more year before retiring seemed like a logical decision for Arians. Rumors suggested that Brady forced the organization to retire Bruce Arians as the rift between him and his coach grew.

The suggestion is that Brady threatened to sit out the season and hit free agency next year if they chose to keep the head coach.