Call to the pen
Fansided

Former Montreal Expos draft pick Tom Brady reportedly retires

ByNoah Yingling|
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 23: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 23, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 23: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 23, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, 15-time Pro Bowler and seven-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady is retiring from the NFL.

But future New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady nearly didn’t play in the NFL at all and, in fact, his high school baseball coach thought that baseball was his better sport.

Tom Brady was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the 1995 MLB Draft

Future NFL Hall of Famer Tom Brady was drafted by the Montreal Expos as a catcher in the 18th round of the 1995 MLB Draft out of high school but he, reportedly, had the talent to be a second-round pick.

However, Brady was already signed his letter of intent to play with the University of Michigan for football so he tumbled down the drafting order until the Montreal Expos, who found some diamonds in the rough in the drafting process in their history, drafted him.

Before they even drafted him, they sent him on a road trip with the team to San Francisco in early June … but it backfired on them.

The Expos players told him not to sign with the team because they thought he could make it more easily in the NFL, especially because he wouldn’t have to go through the minor leagues.

Future Washington Nationals TV color analyst F.P. Santangelo was on the Expos at the time and he said that he was one of the players that told him not to sign.

"“We’re like why in the world would you make $800 a month, play in front of 100 people in the minor leagues, riding buses for ten hours when you can play in front of 100,000 people at (Michigan’s) Big House on Saturday,” Santangelo said to Tampa’s ABC affiliate in 2021. “Enjoy the college experience. So, John’s (Expos scout John Hughes) experience kind of backfired. We were supposed to say ‘hey Tom, play baseball and we were like ‘hey Tom, play football.’"

In high school, Brady played in 61 varsity baseball games and posted a very good stat line, as he hit .331 with eight home runs, 11 doubles, and 44 runs. He also was named an all-league catcher as a high school senior.

Obviously, after that, the rest is history as Brady has become the most successful player in NFL history but the Expos really tried hard to sign him but, for Brady, I think it’s safe to say that he made a good choice.

Note: There is some speculation if Brady is really retiring or not. We will keep this story updated.

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