Get ready for a whole lot of discussion surrounding the NFL fate of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career next month.
Will he land with the Las Vegas Raiders (pat on the back for not writing "Oakland"), as some have predicted? Will a quarterback-needy squad try to woo him? Or will a team that seemingly appears set at the position try to snag the future Hall of Famer? Former Chicago Bears guard, Kyle Long, hopes to see the latter.
Long sat down with NFL Network's Lindsay Rhodes on Wednesday and said he hopes Brady lands with a team on the cusp of winning a Super Bowl. More specifically, he named the San Francisco 49ers.
The Niners already have a quarterback, though, right? Obviously, Long doesn't think too highly of Jimmy Garoppolo or merely sees Brady as a better option, even if it might be a short-term one.
"It would be something where we would find out if the 49ers are really in love with Jimmy Garoppolo," Long told Rhodes. "And I think Tom Brady has earned the right to select a turnkey organization that is one quarterback away from the Super Bowl. And who better than the 49ers? He's a hometown kid. He grew up idolizing Joe Montana."
Garoppolo has been the subject of much scrutiny since the 49ers' Super Bowl LIV loss to the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this month. The quarterback appeared on his way to an MVP performance, with his team holding onto a late-game 10-point lead. A fourth-quarter collapse that saw Kansas City score 21 unanswered points in a matter of minutes ruined that for San Francisco.
Garoppolo completed just three of his 11 passes for 36 yards, an interception, and a passer rating of 2.8 in the fourth quarter, leading to many in the media doubting his potential.