New England quarterback Tom Brady has been the bane of the existence of New York Jets fans during his illustrious 14-year-career. Ever since Brady took over as the Patriots starter, New England has won the AFC East all but twice.
But a new report - as told to the NY Daily News by someone who was actually in the Jets draft room at Hofstra in 2000 - suggests that Tommy Terrific almost suited up for the Jets, and indeed would have, had it not been for then-general manager, Bill Parcells.
The story goes that veteran Jets scout for the Midwest, Jesse Kaye, attempted to lobby Parcells to take Brady early in the sixth round of the draft - even though the Jets had already spent their first round pick - number 18 overall - on quarterback Chad Pennington.
Kaye had watched Brady throw for 369 yards and four touchdowns in a 35-34 overtime victory over Alabama in the Orange Bowl in the final game of his college career and was intrigued by what the skinny kid from Michigan could do in the NFL.
Despite Kaye arguing his case vehemently, Parcells, who already had Vinny Testaverde returning from a torn Achilles, a just-drafted Pennington and also Ray Lucas, a personal favorite of Parcells', on the roster, declined, instead choosing to draft North Carolina State defensive back Tony Scott.
Scott played in 23 games with no starts in two seasons with the Jets. He was eventually waived and never played another down in the NFL.
Brady, of course, was drafted shortly thereafter by the Patriots and after Jets (I mean, it only makes sense, right?) linebacker Mo Lewis knocked Drew Bledsoe out late in the second game of the 2001 season, his ascension to Patriots starter and eventual Super Bowl winning quarterback and all-time great began.
Kaye, who became the Jets' scouting director in 2002, is now a consultant for the team. He declined comment on this story through a team spokesman.
Hindsight is, of course, 20/20, and there's no guarantee that Brady, had he entered the Jets system, would have ended up anywhere near the surefire Hall Of Fame quarterback he has become.
But, ahead of tonight's Thursday Night Football matchup between the quickly deteriorating and dysfunctional Jets and the consistent powerhouse New England Patriots, it's interesting to wonder just what might have been, had Parcells' mind not been closed to the idea of drafting Brady.
