What will the Patriots be like without Tom Brady?
Not only is this a question for on-field matters, but also off it. What will the mentality of the team be? Will it rally to prove people wrong, or not be the same without its leader for the last 20 or so years?
According to former Patriots safety and current NBC Sports analyst Rodney Harrison, the team absolutely will be motivated to prove it can win without Brady.
“(Bill Belichick) might bring up a couple articles … everybody saying it’s over, Brady this, Brady that,” Harrison said to Karen Guregian of The Boston Herald. “Of course he’ll say something about that. But at the end of the day, whether he makes the point or not, he knows the team will be motivated to prove they can win without Tom.”
He added: “It’s not just talk, not with the Patriots. It’s a chip you carry in the weight room, you carry in the film room, in the dining room, you carry at home watching extra film, it’s a chip that motivates you,” said Harrison. “It’s motivating for people to say you can’t win without Brady. I know I would be pissed. … So these guys are going to be motivated, pumped up and ready to go.”
With that being said, it will be easier said than done with second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham likely the starting quarterback and also the team having the hardest schedule in the league.
The Patriots are scheduled to open training camp in late July.
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