Tom Brady Decided to Move On, So Now What? [OPINION]

We knew this day would come. Now it is out of the hands of the team. The greatest player in NFL history has decided to end his tenure with the New England Patriots.

Quarterback Tom Brady has informed the world that he is no longer going to be with the Pats. Compared to that news, I have little concern as to where he does end up. It will likely be with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Los Angeles Chargers or the Las Vegas Raiders.

It's hard to imagine any franchise sweating the departure of an NFL player at age 43 but yet here we are. Brady's longevity is as impressive as his ability to play football. Enough Brady praise, though. He's gone. We're still here. Patriot Nation lives on sans No. 12.

For the front office, it means many more dollars to bolster the team will be made available. The search for another franchise quarterback has finally been made necessary for the Patriots, who have eluded this for longer than logic would demand.

Bill Belichick has done it before and not just once. While Brady is the obvious centerpiece for his drafting prowess, he has had a pretty good eye for quarterbacks as part of his legacy.

Jimmy Garappolo was a pretty good find in the draft. From Eastern Illinois University, Garappolo was the Patriots' second-round pick and 62nd overall in the 2014 NFL Draft. San Francisco has made him its franchise quarterback. With a short sample, he is winning games and doing fine.

Garappolo was the fifth quarterback selected in that draft and today, the only one with a starting position, leading his team to the Super Bowl this past February.

Brian Hoyer and Jacoby Brissett have shown that they were competent picks, too. Brissett is now the starting QB in Indianapolis following Andrew Luck's stunning retirement last year. Hoyer has been on several NFL teams and has been serviceable while franchise quarterbacks healed or for teams in need of a guy who could manage a game or two.

Whenever I am asked who I think was the bigger reason for the dynasty, Belichick or Brady, I always say I think it's pretty close. In fact, I believe you can't have this sustained success without either of these two being as superior at their roles as they have been.

That said, I expect Brady to leave his beloved franchise and step into a Ferrari of an offense and have good numbers to add to his legend. Last year's Patriots offense was terrible by season's end. He was unprotected, without weapons, and left New England after an embarrassing home playoff loss to Tennessee – with his last pass being a pick-six.

Brady leaving now actually does the team a long-term favor, as reluctant as we are to see him leave. The Patriots' destiny in the coming years is better off without a sentimental, illogical overinvestment in Brady.

In Bill, we trust. So we will need to hope that he once again mumbles into the microphone about how he brought this team back from the ashes and into the AFC playoffs again and without his security blanket in Tom Brady.

All things come to an end. It is right to mourn the loss of the services of Tom Brady. It is now time to rally behind our team and encourage the excellence to continue in Gillette Stadium.

Ken Pittman is the host of The Ken Pittman Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact him at ken.pittman@townsquaremedia.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.