The deadline for the NFL teams to cut down their roster to 53 players passed on August 29. All the teams made some tough calls on players, and the New England Patriots are one among them. The team shocked everyone with their decision to cut their backup quarterback Bailey Zappe. With the quarterback released, fans are now anticipating the comeback of legend Tom Brady.
When an insider for ‘The Athletic’ revealed the news on X, fans filled the comments section, asking if Brady was rejoining the team. Some fans mentioned that they are sure that Tom Brady is coming back. Others, on the other hand, mentioned that they’d like to ask the star quarterback.
Patriots quarterbacks Brady and Zappe (Credit: MARCA)
A fan wrote, “My friend Hank has become convinced that Tom Brady is coming back”. Another one wrote, “Let me ask @TomBrady”. Another fan wrote, “Not possible while he owns part of the Raiders”. Another fan commented, “Patriots trade DC Steve Belichick for Raiders part-owner Tom Brady..I can already see it now”.
After releasing Zappe, Patriots’ QB Mac Jones doesn’t have a backup quarterback anymore. However, it seems like fans want Tom Brady to come back to the team. As for Zappe, the young talent played four games last year. He started two of them, against the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions, and the Patriots won both.
Now, with Bailey Zappe gone, the Patriots depend completely on Mac Jones. It’ll be interesting to see how the quarterback performs, and where Zappe goes.
Is Bailey Zappe going back to the Patriots?
After the Patriots cut Bailey Zappe, many other teams might be interested in having him. The quarterback surely holds great talent and can prove to be great for teams like the Cincinnati Bengals. However, at the same time, some reports suggest that the Patriots themselves are planning to take him back.
Dianna Russini, an NFL reporter, shared a post on X about Zappe’s comeback to the Patriots. It’s the same post on which fans were asking whether Tom Brady is returning or not. Russini mentioned that the team might take Zappe back “if he clears waivers”.
NFL star Bailey Zappe (Credit: CNN)
“The Patriots are planning for their backup QB to be Bailey Zappe if he clears waivers and makes it to practice squad. Otherwise, they’re working through a list of who will be available, league sources tell me,” she wrote.
Bailey Zappe was great during his tenure as the Patriots’ backup quarterback. The young star succeeded in 70.6% of the total passes he did. He had a passer rating of 195.3, along with five touchdowns and three interceptions. Signing Zappe again can help the Patriots save money, as they might get him for a cheaper deal. However, none of this is confirmed yet, so fans will have to wait.
Why did Tom Brady retire from the NFL?
Tom Brady made his NFL debut in 2000 when the New England Patriots drafted him with the 199th pick. He stayed with the team for 20 years and led them to six Super Bowl victories. Throughout his tenure with the Patriots, Brady set numerous records and was the team’s top quarterback.
After the Patriots, the NFL Hall of Famer joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three years. He led them to a Super Bowl win as well. However, in February of this year, Tom Brady announced his retirement after a 23-year career. He took to Instagram to post a video of himself informing everyone of his decision.
“I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first,” he said.
Tom Brady retired last year as well, but he soon unretired after a few months. When the star quarterback retired this year, fans were expecting him to come back again. However, there seems to be no possibility for it at present. This time, Brady has retired for good, and it’s obvious that he’s satisfied with his career.
