Just before the start of the 2007 season, the Patriots traded their best receiver, Deion Branch. Tom Brady expressed disappointment about Branch's departure, but he didn't make a big stink. Now Paul (Dr. Z) Zimmerman of Sports Illustrated is reporting that Brady was much more upset about the Patriots' receiving situation than he let on publicly. Zimmerman says Brady made "plenty" of complaints, although most of them were off the record, and that he was "furious."
Last week Zimmerman wrote that Brady sounded off about the lack of quality wideouts last year, and this week, when a reader from Boston named Andy asks him to elaborate, Zimmerman writes:
Andy of Boston wants to know where, when, and what he said. Off the record, plenty. He was furious. On the record, the following, which he watered down for political reasons, but still is clear enough. This was during Deion Branch's holdout and a month before he was traded. I quote from Mike Silver's column from Aug. 1, 2006: "I have confidence that this will be worked out, but I'm glad we're not playing a team this week."Zimmerman should explain this better. When did Brady say he was furious? To whom? What were his exact words? If Zimmerman can't answer those questions because Brady's comments were off the record, he shouldn't have brought it up in the first place.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-15-2007 @ 2:41PM
Larry Brown said...
Agreed, if all these comments were off the record, Dr. Z should've kept his mouth shut
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6-15-2007 @ 2:53PM
Leonard said...
I think the Doc is gonna find it awfully difficult to get an interview with anyone from here on out if he's publishing off the record comments. Bye, bye journalism career.
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6-15-2007 @ 4:21PM
dicek said...
either way he was dead right. If the the receiver catches the pass in the Championship Game against the colts. I simple audible throw, no one covering, he is not running, wide open, He catches and falls forward a yard ot two.Patriots go to Suprbowl and repalce the colts. So the Patriots nikcled and dimed themselves right out of a Superbowl last year no one elses fault
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6-15-2007 @ 5:17PM
Don said...
Think we're out of context here. I think Z means he's saying 'off the record' that word was Brady was pissed (basically working a rumor) not that Brady told Z himself how furious he was 'off the record'.
Besides, looks like he was heard. Pats went balls to the wall this offseason.
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6-15-2007 @ 6:07PM
Hayden said...
And just what exactly is Dr. Z a doctor of? A doctor of B.S. perhaps??
You can go on the record and equivocate about some scrub NFC QB, but when you open your mouth and talk about (one of if not) the greatest QB of all time, you better have some factual information.
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6-15-2007 @ 6:23PM
Leonard said...
His words were written. You can't write an off the record comment; that makes it on the record.
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6-15-2007 @ 7:22PM
lakeeta said...
wow...so much for privacy..........what does that mean to his receivers egos...wow
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6-15-2007 @ 9:28PM
rogerg591 said...
Brady had a right to complain. Had the Pats kept Branch that would have been Superbowl win #4 for him and Mr Smiles Bellicheck. Had the Pats even picked up a half way decent receiver in free agency they would have been fine. Troy Brown was a great receiver and team player but he isnt the player he was a few years ago. Caldwell would barely be a #3 or #4 w/r on most teams. Getting rid of the one legitimate # receiver Branch who created seperation from db's was ignorant by a the Pats who normally make great front office decisions. It was amassing what numbers Brady posted last year with such lousy talent at the w/r spot. Despite the lousy talent had Caldwell not dropped the ball when no one was around him (with in 10 yards) the Pats would have still won the game. Peyton Manning will go down in history as the greatest regulary season qb of all time. IF you compare Peyton's regular season qb ratings to his post season and you will see a big drop off. Last year Peyton threw 3 tds against 7 picks in the playoffs. The Colts running backs or o-line should have won the superbowl mvp. Peyton completed one deep pass the entire superbowl. Brady has done much more a qb than Manning has with less talent. Where Manning will throw for a ton of yards Brady will win 5 superbowl championships
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6-15-2007 @ 11:30PM
Jay said...
Looks like Brady is a real cancer, looking to create a locker room divide. I'm shocked that the media isn't outraged that he would criticize teammates. Perhaps if his first name was Terrell!
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6-15-2007 @ 11:40PM
jim said...
Off the record comments are for the very reason we are talikng about this .. If people wanted stuff to not be said then why do they say it off on or what ever record .... My opion is what u gather from blogs off the record quotes mom dads friends THEN i will DECIDE WHAT TO DIGEST ......
P.S. do we not usee DVD'S now lol j/k
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6-16-2007 @ 12:54AM
Murph207 said...
Now don’t get me wrong, I love most of the moves the Pats made this year. But ! To all of you who are screaming if we still had Branch we would have won another super bowl remember one thing. They were up 21 to 3!! 21 to 6 at half time!!! We blew an 18-point lead people. We couldn’t run the ball to hold that lead in the second half. The offensive line couldn’t open any holes the Defense crumbled. Gostkowski hits a mammoth pressure 43-yard field goal with less than 4 min on the clock!! and they still couldn’t hold on. I am glad they made the pick ups they did at wide out.. But the reason they lost wasn’t because of the people they had at WR last year. It was an inept running game and Defense that started playing not to loose, instead of to win.
Murph
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6-16-2007 @ 1:16AM
jack said...
i say lets send him T.O. He'll be happy for about 3 or 4 games till T.O. destroys the team. Just shut up and play Brady and stop crying
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6-16-2007 @ 8:27AM
Gary said...
Was Brady pissed? I'm sure he was.....but who was he more pissed at? I'm guessing Deion Branch was secretly a target of his ire as well.
The Patriots were completely justified in NOT dealing with Branch. We are NOT talking someone who did his time "like a good soldier" and was not rewarded.
We are talking about someone who held out the last year of a contract he signed. He was not "franchised" ala Asante Samuel. Nope....he decided to hold all of his fans and teammates hostage because HE thought he wasn't getting paid enough. Tough chit! Do your job like a man, wait until your contract's up, then take your "civil disobedience" act on the road.
Deion Branch is NOT a #1 receiver. The man has never eclipsed 1,000 yards, has only 18 TD catches in his entire career....Heck, Randy Moss had 17 tds in a season TWICE.....Branch's best year? 5!
Superbowl MVP? Whoop-dee-do....Jabar Gaffney had 8 catches for 104 yards against the Jets in the w/c game and then 10 grabs for 103 yards against the Chargers....is he worth $5 million a year based on those two performances?
The Patriots realized they could spend less money, and get players who want to play, instead of players who think we should be honored to have them.
Deion Branch is exactly the type of player the Patriots don't need....he got his lifetime achievement award (SB Rings)and just wants money....good luck Seattle...you overpaid for an average player.
The one common trait the Patriots covet when it comes to free agents is that they don't have rings, and that is a huge motivating force....moreso than money. Adalius Thomas has a ring with the 2000 Ravens...but appearing in only 3 games that year, he feels he didn't "earn it" per se. The Patriots want players who are striving for something else to define their careers besides a huge bank account....those are true competitors.
I'll bet at the end of the season, Brady will be saying "Deion who?".
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6-17-2007 @ 8:27AM
matty o said...
Bottom line, Tom Brady gets top receivers,
Patriots Win!!
And protection, of course.
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6-17-2007 @ 8:06PM
david gillespie said...
Dr. Z, I looked at your all-pro NFL squad and I must say that you suck ass. How could you not take Lorenzo Neal at fullback? You said "look at the film", well I say look at LT's stats. LT's first year he had 1,236 yards and 10 TD's in 2001 and then in 2002, when they signed Neal, LT's stats jumped to 1,683 yards and 14 TD's and hasn't fell under 1,300 yards or 10 TD's since, check yourself! Warrick Dunn fell off the face of the planet in 2006, was it his fullback's fault? Griffin isn't helping Vick run for all those yards, Vick just takes off. I understand picking Marvin Harrison at reciever but Laverneus Coles is not on the same level with Torry Holt, Andre Johnson, Chad Johnson, Steve Smith, or Reggie Wayne! And how could you not take Walter Jones at Tackle? That's hard for me to admit because I'm a St. Louis fan and we hate Seattle but come on. How could you not take Steve Huchingson or Allen Fanaca or Will Sheids at Guard? And why would you take Jared Allen over Julius Peppers, Arron Kapmaun, or Dwight Freeney. Do you know how many double-teams he requires just to be blocked, stupid? And finally, who are those slab safeties you picked? What happened to Brain Dawkins, Darren Sharper, Shawn Taylor, Roy Williams, John Lynch, Bob Sanders, Ed Reed, Troy Polomolu, Rodney Harrison, Lawyer Milloy, and Adrian Wilson. You seriously need to check your film and judgement.
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6-18-2007 @ 6:04AM
tee said...
I doubt very much Tom Brady many any such comments..and even if there were,they were held between Brady, Belichick and Kraft. Dr Z, who the heck is this man to start a riff and divide a team? Brady a whiner...give me a break! He and his teammates go out each week and do whatever it takes to win a game...no superstars, no whining-win or lose! They are just hard working players, and the fact they lost Branch was huge and not one fan or other organization could understand it.Brady should have complain publicly(but didn't)! You'll see this team fighting back to make it in the playoffs and not because they whined their way there...but because the move on...time for Dr Z to do the same!
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