BOSTON — When it comes to Tom Brady’s impending free agency, his ex-New England Patriots teammates Rob Gronkowski and Matt Light are riding the same wild offseason wave as everyone else.
The two three-time Super Bowl champions were at Rochambeau on Tuesday night hosting “Race To The Finish Line,” a fundraiser for the Light Foundation and the GronkNation Youth Foundation Boston Marathon teams.
Of course, along with the questions about their charitable efforts came plenty of questions about Brady.
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Light, who was on Brady’s offensive line from 2001-11, knows those questions come with the territory. It seems each day brings a new Brady rumor, and it’s no surprise to Light that his former QB’s name is constantly the No. 1 headline.
“It should be. I mean, it really should be,” Light said. “He’s the biggest name in sports, so the fact he’s not technically on a team should be a big story each and every day. I’m not amazed at that, I’m more amazed at all the fun we’re having around it.”
Well, some are having fun with it. Patriots fans, though? Probably not so much.
But as Light notes, there’s one thing that has kept fans in Foxboro from panicking the past 20 years. Whether it’ll continue through all the Brady drama remains to be seen.
“When you think about these moments over the last two decades having a Belichick-coached organization, any time it gets rocky there’s one phrase that comes out: ‘In Bill We Trust,’” Light said. “Does it hold up when Tommy is at stake? I don’t know. We’re going to find out.”
Gronkowski deferred to Light for most of the Brady-related questions, but the former Pats tight end agrees with the “In Bill We Trust” sentiment.
“That’s a good point, said Gronk. “That’s why you listen to Matt Light. That’s why Matt Light answers these questions.”
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As much as Gronkowski preferred to dance around the Brady talk, even he concedes it’s been an intriguing storyline to keep tabs on this winter. Especially with it being the first time Brady will ever have hit the open market.
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“That makes it interesting and like Matt said, it does make it fun,” Gronkowski said. “I understand people stress out over it. But if you look at it the other way, it’s kind of fun.
“He’s going there one day and he’s going to another team the next day. Man, it’s crazy. I was hoping he’d go to the XFL with the 'He Hate Me' on the back [of his jersey].”
All jokes aside, the thought of Brady in a non-Patriots uniform is a bit unsettling. After all, the 42-year-old has been an icon in New England longer than some NFL players have even been alive.
So, what would his former teammates think about his name being on the back of a different jersey?
“Honestly, look, if you’re a former player or even as a current player, you have guys on other teams and they switch from one organization to the next, you kind of have fun seeing how it changes,” said Light. “How they address things, what they do, their preparation. Like is it different? Are they running the same kind of offense?”
As for Gronkowski, he’s already seeing dollar signs for the GronkNation Youth Foundation and Light Foundation if Brady does end up wearing a new uniform in 2020.
“I would have him sign it and donate it to me and Matt, and we’d raise even more money,” he joked.
Brady officially becomes a free agent March 18 if he and the Patriots don’t get a contract extension done before then. It’s clear Light and Gronk will be keeping a close eye on all that unfolds, just like the rest of us.
