The rumors of Tom Brady joining the Miami Dolphins this offseason never gained serious momentum, but Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel shot them down rather definitively when he spoke on Monday at the NFL’s annual league meeting.
“Tom Brady, the Super Bowl winner?” he asked back at a question, surprised. “No. That has not been in the conversation at all. I think that’s what you call fake news.”
The rumor began last week when Dale Arnold, a broadcaster for NESN and WEEI in Boston, tweeted that he believed Brady will play for a Florida team “a little further south” than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, insinuating the Dolphins.
Follow-up reports since have debunked the claim, but McDaniel put it to bed for good on Monday.
The Dolphins have said they are sticking with Tua Tagovailoa as their starting quarterback this offseason. They stood behind that claim when former Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson was cleared criminally as he still faces 22 civil lawsuits that allege sexual misconduct and sexual assault. The Cleveland Browns ended up trading with the Texans for Watson.
When he initially joined the Buccaneers in the 2020 offseason, the Dolphins were linked to Brady then. He was the unnamed quarterback ex-Miami coach Brian Flores mentioned in his lawsuit against the NFL that Flores allegedly did not want to get on owner Stephen Ross’ yacht with at a time when it would’ve been considered tampering.
This offseason, the Dolphins signed quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to be Tagovailoa’s backup.
Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion that won six of those with the New England Patriots before winning his last one with the Buccaneers, initially retired this offseason before reversing course and deciding to come back with Tampa Bay.
Brady, whose brief retirement lasted just 40 days, will return to the Bucs for his 23rd NFL season.
The 44-year-old Brady announced his decision on social media two weeks ago, saying he has “unfinished business.”
He led the league in yards passing (5,316), touchdowns (43) and completions (485) last season, but Tampa Bay lost at home to the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs.
The three-time NFL MVP is the league’s all-time leader in passing yards (84,520) and touchdowns (624). He has a 243-73 regular-season record and 35-12 in the postseason.
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