Jason Licht talks about Tom Brady and the Miami Dolphins
By Brian Miller
The interest between the Miami Dolphins and Tom Brady has been a hot topic but it comes with denial from other sources, like Jason Licht.
Licht serves as the Tampa Bay general manager and he was recently asked about the Brady-Dolphins rumors as well as a new contract for the quarterback.
In a new report from ESPN, Licht was asked about the rumors. He said that he had heard them but he chalked it up to something else.
"“I make of it — chatter, just like you said,” Licht said. “We’re focused on putting our team together here with the draft, and we’re all excited, we’re all in lockstep here — Tom, Todd [Bowles], myself, Byron [Leftwich], the entire coaching staff — on this season.” – Licht via ESPN"
Licht also went on to say that the team and Brady have not discussed a new contract extension which will only serve to elevate the rumors of Brady eventually joining the Dolphins after this season in some capacity. It would all end with a new contract.
Also involved in the trio of rumors is Sean Payton. Payton was rumored to be the top choice of Stephen Ross in an attempt to put Payton and Brady on the team. The Saints denied the Dolphins permission to talk to him according to reports in January.
Payton told reporters recently that it wouldn’t have mattered. He didn’t know about the rumors, so he said, and added that he would have returned to the Saints if he still wanted to coach.
Nothing takes the Dolphins out of the picture for the future, however. The problem is that it is just another distraction but it seems as though most of the rumors started with a Boston Globe report back in January that was ultimately buoyed by the Brian Flores lawsuit.
What happens next isn’t known but it could have implications in the NFL’s investigation into Stephen Ross. With both Licht and Payton denying any knowledge in actual discussions, it may be hard to prove any wrongdoing by Ross or any member of the team.
Even though Brady was rumored to be the “yacht QB” that Flores walked away from, there has been no concrete proof outside of Flores’ allegations that still has yet to actually name who the QB was. So far, it is just conjecture. The process is still playing out for the NFL and Ross but the comments from Licht and Payton do not sound like Miami was making an actual attempt to land either the coach or the player.