New England Patriots

Joe Montana thinks it's a damn shame Tom Brady won't finish his career in New England ... and he's laying the blame for the GOAT's exit at the feet of the Patriots.

"I don’t know what’s going on inside there," Montana said Wednesday, "but somebody made a mistake."

Joe Cool told USA TODAY Sports there's just no way in hell that breakup needed to happen ... saying the Patriots really should have done more to keep their quarterback in the mix.

Of course, Montana doesn't necessarily think Brady's without fault for the dissolution of the relationship ... Joe said when he talked to Tom at the Super Bowl last month, he got the feeling that TB12 wanted to yield more power than Bill Belichick likely wanted to give up.

"He wants control," Joe said. "I mean, he wants a lot of control. I don’t know what Tampa Bay gave him, but at some point in time, you’re just a player."

"You can try to get what you can and do what you want, but in the end, you’re still not in the hierarchy when it comes to hiring people, firing people and all that."

Still, Montana thinks the Patriots should have worked it out ... saying his situation at the end of his 49ers career was not the same as Brady's current one.

“I had a different story, where they had made a decision," Montana said. "He, obviously, they never would have gotten rid of. I still don’t understand how New England let him get away. I don’t understand that.”

Joe believes Tom is going to have a lot more fun in Tampa regardless ... but he's warning Bruce Arians to implement some Patriots philosophies into his offense, or else it could be trouble for Tom.

"He’ll be a good addition to that team, as long as they don’t hold the ball like they’ve been doing," Joe says. "I don’t think he fits into that category to hold the ball."

How does Tampa Bay Bucs superstar WR Mike Evans feel about his new 42-year-old QB, Tom Brady?!

"I've been on that Hennessy. Oh, I'm drinking!"

That's what the 26-year-old told gamers during a Fortnite stream on Twitch (he's a huge gamer) -- explaining why he's already thinking PLAYOFFS, BABY!

"He's about to be my quarterback, bro ... I've played 6 years in the NFL and I haven't been to the playoffs yet. Tom Brady has won 6 Super Bowls."

Evans continued ... "Bro, I've been on that Hennessy. Oh, I'm drinking. I got Tom Brady. You know what I'm saying?"

The 6'5" wideout is already considered one of the best WRs in the league -- in fact, in 2018 the Bucs signed him to a 5-year, $82.5 million contract extension!

Brady must be stoked about the situation as well -- he reportedly only had one major demand in his contract negotiations with the Bucs ... he wanted all of the players' personal cell phone numbers.

A Tom Brady swap for Jameis Winston in New England?!?!

Donovan McNabb is all for that ... the legendary NFL QB tells TMZ Sports he thinks Jameis is the perfect replacement for TB12 in Foxborough.

"I think he would kind of flourish in the New England offense," McNabb says.

As for why ... Donovan tells us he thinks Josh McDaniels and Bill Belichick could finally get Winston to stop throwing interceptions -- something the ex-Bucs QB did 30 TIMES last season.

"It'd be more dink-and-dunk, protect the football," McNabb tells us, "and all a sudden, we're talking about New England again possibly winning the AFC East."

The signing wouldn't be all that crazy ... Winston is likely open to a team-friendly deal now that most QB-needy teams are full -- and the Pats certainly could use his talent level on their depleted QB roster.

Hall of Famer Andre Reed says he's happy for Tom Brady's move to Tampa Bay ... pretty much only because it means the Bills will FINALLY get a shot at winning the division.

Now that TB12 has officially signed his papers and is officially a Buccaneer, it's time for a new team to run the tables in the AFC East, which the Pats have won 17 of the past 19 seasons.

We spoke with Reed about the Bills' chances at being the team to take over ... and he thinks it's theirs to lose!

"I'm thinking it gonna be the Bills to be the class of that division this year'" Reed tells us. "Ya can never count nobody out but it's a big move for the AFC, for the league, but not for New England.

"I'm sure Tom is gonna be alright wherever he goes, however he finishes his career, whatever team he's with. Just glad it's not the AFC East anymore."

It's an exciting time for Bills Mafia ... the team just picked up superstar Stefon Diggs ... and Reed weighs in on what the big transaction means for 2020.

The Gronk era of WWE is officially here!!!

Rob Gronkowski made his first appearance on SmackDown on Friday ... and the dude went BONKERS right out of the gate!!

Gronk's BFF Mojo Rawley grabbed the mic at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando and gave Rob one of the greatest, most hype intros ever ... despite the fact there were no fans in the stands (because of the COVID-19 pandemic).

The music came on, Gronk busted out into the arena ... AND DANCED HIS ASS OFF!

He even grinded on one of the turnbuckles!!

Once the former New England Patriots tight end made it inside the ring, he took the mic and got even MORE turned up!

"Let me tell you something," Gronk said to the empty arena ... "I've been watching [WWE] since 2nd grade!"

Gronk even joked that despite "zero" people in the stands, "I'm still hype baby!!"

Later on, there was some good ol' fashioned trash talk from Baron Corbin -- who roasted Gronk for being injury-prone ... "I know you know something about getting hurt."

The gloves are off, baby!!!

Next up for Gronk ... he's hosting "WrestleMania 36" -- a 2-night event starting on April 4th which will also take place at multiple locations -- including WWE's training center in Orlando -- with only essential personnel in attendance.

Robert Kraft wanted to send one last message to Tom Brady before he heads to Florida ... so he bought up 12 billboards for a special tribute to his former (!!!) quarterback.

"Thank You Tom, The Greatest Of All Time," the signs read ... "With Love, The Kraft Family and the New England Patriots."

The billboards are up all around Gillette Stadium, where Brady played for the past 20 seasons.

The next step for Brady ... he will undergo a physical conducted by a doctor in New York and if (when) he passes, he should be cleared to be the next starting QB of the Tampa Bay Bucs.

The physical is supposed to go down TODAY. Guessing TB12 will gas up his private jet to get to NYC to minimize contact with other people.

Earlier this week, Kraft issued an emotional statement about Tom leaving -- saying, "I love Tom like a son and I always will."

TB to TB.

Tom Brady is going to the Tampa Bay Bucs -- with a deal that will pay him $30 MILLION per season, so says NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

It still sounds like Tom has some I's to dot and T's to cross, but it's essentially a done deal at this point. Unclear how long the contract is for. Guessing it's on the shorter side considering Tom is 42 years old.

BEST DAY EVER FOR MIKE EVANS THO, HUH?!

There is one little issue ... the #12 currently belongs to Bucs star WR Chris Godwin. Will he give it up for free or will Tom have to pay up?!

Of course, the 6-time Super Bowl champ announced he was leaving the New England Patriots on Tuesday morning -- and things developed rapidly after that.

There was reported interest from the Chargers, Dolphins, Raiders and others -- but in the end, the Bucs won out. The Chargers were the last team in the mix before the Bucs came out on top.

Of course, it's a sad day for Pats Nation ... and as owner Robert Kraft put it, "I had hoped he would choose to stay, as a fan and an owner. But, out of respect for the relationship we’ve built, I gave him his freedom."

Brady played 285 games for NE in 20 seasons with the team ... throwing for more than 74,000 yards, 541 TDs ... and oh yeah, winning 6 Super Bowls.

It's the first time Brady was a free agent in his career ... and a new era in the NFL is here.

Barstool Sports president Dave Portnoy is coming to terms with the fact Tom Brady is no longer a New England Patriot ... and he's convinced this could be the end of the world as we know it.

Remember, El Pres told TMZ Sports less than a month ago ... "Anybody who says (Brady's) going anywhere is an idiot!!" ... and obviously, TB12's leaving.

We reconnected with Portnoy in wake of the news on Tuesday ... and despite the devastating news, the guy is actually taking it well.

"I wasn’t stunned," Dave tells us. "I thought he would come back to New England, because I think we offer him the best chance to win ... it’s sad, it’s the end of an era."

"This is the real world. We got corona running wild in the streets, things happen. So, Brady’s leaving the Patriots. Crazy times. .. the world may be ending."

Pres makes it clear he still LOVES Brady and isn't pissed he's leaving the Pats ... but believes TB12 just ain't a franchise QB anymore.

"If you’re a Patriots fan and you care about winning in the next 10 years, this is the right move … if you only care about the next 2, then you probably want Brady."

Portnoy says he believes in Bill Belichick and likes the Pats' chances of winning a title before TB12 (regardless of which team he chooses) ... but his love for Brady will live on.

As for Brady's replacement?? Portnoy's got a guy in mind -- and the dude once defeated TB12 at the highest level.

Robin Roberts is like the rest of the sports world today ... because the Tom Brady bombshell's hitting her like a ton of bricks.

We got the ABC host in New York City Tuesday morning and our camera guy broke the stunning news ... TB12 is taking his talents elsewhere after 20 seasons with Robert Kraft's team.

Ya gotta see Robin's instant reaction ... she can't even fathom Brady in another uniform, and she's looking around for some #FakeNews, but it's all too real for Pats fans.

As we reported ... Tom posted a lengthy message to Patriots Nation explaining it's finally time to leave, but not before cherishing all the good memories -- like 6 Super Bowl rings.

Brady's decision is a huge development that instantly changes the landscape in the NFL ... but Robin tells us why Tom's departure still doesn't overshadow the coronavirus pandemic.

Robin's gotta point ... NYC's a virtual ghost town. Even Jets fans can't flood the streets to revel in the Brady departure.

Tom Brady is making it official ... he's leaving the New England Patriots after 20 seasons (and 6 Super Bowl rings) and continuing his NFL career in another city.

TB12 posted a long thank you message to Patriots Nation on Tuesday morning explaining he will always cherish the memories ... but it's time to leave.

"I wanted to say thank you to all of the incredible fans and Patriots supporters. MA has been my home for twenty years," Brady wrote.

"It has truly been the happiest two decades I could have envisioned in my life and I have nothing but love and gratitude for my time in New England."

He continued, "The support has been overwhelming - I wish every player could experience it. My children were born and raised here and you always embraced this California kid as your own. I love your commitment and loyalty to your teams and winning for our city means more than you will ever know."

Rob Gronkowski is "deep in talks" to sign a contract with WWE -- and reportedly could make his first official appearance with the company later this month.

The 30-year-old ex-New England Patriots star has been talking about a career with the WWE for years -- but now that he's seemingly closed the door on an NFL comeback, it's becoming real.

In fact, ProWrestlingSheet's Ryan Satin appeared on FS1's "WWE Backstage" and cited multiple sources who say Gronk's very close to finalizing his deal.

Satin says if things move according to plan, Gronk is expected to appear on "Friday Night Smackdown" in New Orleans on March 20.

Gronk LOVES pro wrestling -- and the McMahon family. Just last month, he was pictured with Triple H during Super Bowl weekend in Miami.

And, don't forget when he famously jumped in the ring to help out his pal, Mojo Rawley, at Wrestlemania 33 in 2017 -- and looked like a natural.

In fact, Gronk even told us a short time after that bout he wanted a WWE match of his own with Rawley!!

If Rob does ultimately get into the sport full-time ... he'll have no shortage of rivals -- everyone from Becky Lynch to Lio Rush and Bobby Lashley have talked smack about the 30-year-old.

As for Gronk's ability to wrestle full-time despite having no real background in the WWE world ... Rawley told us last year, "All I know is whatever he does next, or what he's doing currently, he's gonna be the best at."

Gronk famously retired from the New England Patriots back in 2019 ... finishing his career with 3 Super Bowl rings and 79 total receiving touchdowns.

Chris Johnson says he's PUMPED about the possibility of Tom Brady bolting from New England for Tennessee ... telling TMZ Sports he's down to recruit the QB himself!!

"I might have to call him," CJ2K says. "If he wanna come, I might have to call him and say, 'Aye, we need to make this move!'"

Rumors of Tom possibly leaving the Pats for the Titans have been swirling this off-season ... especially because Brady's pal and former teammate, Mike Vrabel, coaches the team.

In fact, Vrabel and Brady were spotted FaceTiming each other just a few days ago during a college basketball game!!!

So, when we asked Chris about the possibility of Tom under center for his ex-Titans squad... he was jacked up about it!!

"Everybody knows Tom is the GOAT," Chris says. "If we can get Tom over there and play a couple years before he retires, you know I definitely wouldn't be against that."

As for what his pitch to Brady would be? Chris says it's simple ...

"It's a loving city, man. It's a great place to be. Great fan base -- the fan base is incredible. Just to be able to bring a Super Bowl there to that city, it would mean a lot. It would be something great."

Wanna live in Tom Brady's $40 MILLION mansion!? Too bad, you probably can't afford it ... but now, you can take a peek around the inside!

Tom and Gisele whipped up a video tour of their 12,000-square-foot estate in Brookline, Massachusetts ... in hopes the footage will entice buyers to bite on the $39.5 mil asking price.

The Bradys famously built the home (which sits on 5 acres of land) in 2015 -- and it's INSANE!!!

5 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, 20 parking spaces, 5 fireplaces, pool, personal gym, rec room, outdoor organic herb/vegetable garden ... and it sits on the 9th hole of a fancy country club golf course!

In the video tour, posted by Tom's real estate agent, Beth Dickerson, you can also see some of the cool photos, art and game-worn helmets Tom has displayed around the home.

Bottom line ... this place is sick. Buy it if you can.

Oh, and one more question ... where do you think Tom will move next?

Brady's pal, Dana White, is trying to recruit him to the Las Vegas Raiders -- insisting TB12 could live in L.A. and commute to work.

Julian Edelman says he's been speaking with a Rabbi every week -- but he's not just praying for Tom Brady to stay in New England, he's about to get Bar Mitzvah'd!

The Patriots WR has previously described himself as "kind of Jewish" -- his father is Jewish but religion wasn't a big part of his upbringing.

But, the 33-year-old has started going to temple and leaning into his Jewish roots -- even telling L.A. Magazine's Allen Salkin, "I speak with a Rabbi every Friday."

“I converted pretty much. I’m going to have a Bar Mitzvah here soon," Edelman said.

FYI, a Bar Mitzvah is an important Jewish ceremony where a child formally becomes an adult in the eyes of the religion and is allowed to participate in Jewish rituals like reading from the Torah.

Most people have a Bar Mitzvah around the age of 13 -- but hey, better late than never right?!

Can you imagine the Bar Mitzvah party Edelman will throw? And what's he gonna do with the Bar Mitzvah money? Here's an idea ... give it to Tom in hopes he'll stay!

Mazel tov!

Here's Tom Brady getting recruited HARD to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders during a phone call with his good friend and business partner, Dana White ... and the video is epic!!!

White and Brady are pretty good friends -- and Tom is a minority owner of the UFC (which is based in Vegas) -- and when they spoke on the phone Wednesday, Dana livestreamed the whole convo on IG!!

And the hard sell was ON!!!!

"Now listen, the question everybody wants to know," Dana said to Tom ... "I'm a Boston guy through and through, I want you to go with the Patriots. But, let me make my last pitch, Las Vegas would LOVE to have you here with the Raiders!"

"The stadium -- the facility is incredible. The training facility that they have outside of Vegas is unbelievable. It's a 45-minute flight from L.A. Your kids and your family could live there and you could fly back and forth. We want you to come to the Raiders!"

Of course, Brady ain't exactly gone from New England yet -- but White made it clear, he'd love to be neighbors with the guy in Nevada if he is done as a Patriot.

So, did the recruiting efforts work? Tom wouldn't say ... telling White, "I know it's been a lot of patience for me. And, obviously being where I've been for 20 years, it's been an amazing experience and I don't know what the future holds right now."

"I'm just trying to be patient through this process. It's my first time going through it. And, in the meantime, I'm going to spend a lot of time with my family over the next 10-to-12 days and we've got a little vacation planned which I'm looking forward to."

Wonder what Derek Carr is thinking right about now ...

Tom Brady's coming back for another year with the Patriots -- or so says Julian Edelman, even though Tommy's face tells a much different story.

The two Pats stars were at the Syracuse-UNC basketball Saturday and while sitting next to Jimmy Fallon ... JE started (jokingly?) telling someone below them that TB was definitely coming back. You can read his lips pretty clearly, but read Tom's darting eyes more so.

He's got this forced, awkward grin on -- which to us says, "Hahaha, shut up, dude, 'cause you know I'm definitely not." ORRR, it could be, "Bruh, you're not supposed to say that out loud. Simmer down, Jules!" Watch to the end too ... Tom mouths something back.

The whole thing is a little cringe-worthy, TBH -- very Larry David-esque.

Now, here's the truth ... we still don't know what Tom's gonna do, but what we do know -- he's taking meetings with other teams and seems to seriously be considering bailing. He'd probably make a lot more money elsewhere, and an irreparable rift seems to have formed between him and Belichick.

Stay, go ... the people at the game didn't appear to care all that much, 'cause both Tom and Julian got booed when their mugs showed up on the jumbotron, even though Jimmy got a lot of love.