It's not surprising that some bitter Boston sports fans are still experiencing Tom Brady withdrawal. After all, the veteran quarterback just won a Super Bowl in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But Danielle Murr isn't one of those bitter fans. The former WEEI host holds no ill-will toward Brady and his decision to leave the Patriots. No resentment toward the greatest quarterback of all-time, who helped bring six Lombardi trophies to New England.
"I think there were several factors leading to Tom's departure," Murr told After Hours with Amy Lawrence on Thursday. "And I think [Brady's wife] Giselle certainly had played a big role in that. I think 'Happy wife, happy life' played into this. I think that they probably had a deal, whereby she said, 'I'll let you play for X amount of years but then after that, I'd like you to focus on the family.' Because Tom Brady's an all-in guy, whether it's during the season or during the offseason. His mind's thinking about football, constantly.
"And for a little while, I did think that he possibly would've retired and gone out on a high note, but what is Tom Brady going to do with his day-to-day activities? How much could Tom Brady possibly golf?... I think he proved to us this year that he's still got it. He's definitely still got it. So, between that, maybe some dissatisfaction with dealing with some of the coaching staff or some of the decisions Belichick was making, and the desire to have a little bit more balance and influence... you have a happy Tom... I'm somebody that said, 'Hey, you brought us a lot of success, Tom Brady. Thank you, I appreciate you, we miss you, but I'm happy for you.'"
Brady, 43, completed 21 of 29 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns in the Tampa Bay's blowout win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55, and later agreed to a one-year extension with the franchise that will take him through the 2022 season. The NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported details on Brady's new deal, which includes $50 million over another two years.
So, when will the quarterback finally call it quits? The safe answer is, not any time soon.
"Unless he's sidelined by a major injury -- and I hate to even say that because it's jinx-type potential -- he's just so driven," Murr said. "And he's so passionate, and he takes such great care of himself. Whether or not you believe in the TB-12 method, Tom Brady really is a testament to overall physical health and balance."
The entire Boston sports conversation between Murr and Lawrence can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow After Hours With Amy Lawrence on Twitter @ALawRadio and @AfterHoursCBS, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.