The Atlanta Falcons watched this weekend as Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Bucs lost to the Rams and joined the list of teams that will be watching the Super Bowl from home. With Brady now done in the playoffs, the question is will Brady retire this off-season?
Despite the fact, the season may not have ended the way Brady wanted it was an impressive end if Tom wants to walk away. Coming back from being down 27-3 to tie the game with less than a minute left was impressive despite the way it ended.
The rest of the NFC South certainly hopes Brady decides to call it quits considering it would likely be a rebuild for Tampa Bay and leave the division wide open. Including the Atlanta Falcons who would suddenly have the best quarterback in the division.
If Tom Brady retires the Atlanta Falcons will have a chance to win the NFC South in 2022
Brady retiring is likely a lost hope considering how great the quarterback was this past season. Haunting the Atlanta Falcons for yet another season seems to be the likely outcome, however, for the sake of the argument let’s consider the division if Brady were to retire. Brady’s retirement would leave three clear reasons that the Atlanta Falcons could win the division.
1. Matt Rhule’s Carolina Panthers are in absolute disarray
The Carolina Panthers’ decision to keep Matt Rhule as their head coach is the best off-season news the Atlanta Falcons have gotten thus far. Matt Rhule responded by hiring Ben McAdoo as his offensive coordinator a hiring decision that Atlanta Falcons absolutely love.
With much better options on the table, Rhule went with the one choice that would be universally laughed at. Ben McAdoo is not going to help the Panthers improve who are suddenly without an answer at the quarterback position.
Sam Darnold is the only quarterback with starting experience currently under contract. Darnold is below average and will hurt the team more than he will help. This leaves Carolina the tough task of attempting to lure a free agent or drafting a rookie quarterback.
Regardless of their decision, Atlanta will either be playing a below-average quarterback or a rookie who is in a Ben McAdoo-led offense.
Keeping Matt Rhule means that Carolina will be wasting a great defense for yet another season. A season that will give Atlanta a chance at two easy wins against a team that clearly is heading in the wrong direction right now. Carolina finished last in the division this past season and it is hard to see them changing that next season.
2. The New Orleans Saints are without a quarterback and possible a head coach
The best-case scenario at the quarterback position for New Orleans is they are somehow able to fix the impossible cap hole they are in and bring back Jameis Winston. That is the best-case scenario for a team that is attempting to extend their Super Bowl window post-Drew Brees.
New Orleans clearly has the better defense and offensive line and yet Atlanta beat them once this season. With an inferior quarterback and in an even worse cap situation it is only going to get worse for the Saints this off-season.
Head coach Sean Payton has made it known he isn’t committed to coming back to the Saints next season. If Payton leaves it is going to likely be a full rebuild for a team that has the worst cap situation in the entire league.
Even if Payton opts to stay Atlanta is going to have a decided advantage at the quarterback position and a full off-season with more ability to improve. It is hard to see New Orleans making any impactful moves this off-season aside from working the cap to retain their current talent.
The Saints like the Panthers are headed in the wrong direction leaving the window cracked open for Matt Ryan and the Falcons.
3. If Tom Brady retires who takes over at quarterback and how many free agents leave?
Tom Brady’s Bucs are a collection of veterans and young players who combined for an impressive albeit annoying 2020 Super Bowl run. If Brady were to retire how many players are going to follow Tom out the door?
It wouldn’t be shocking to see Gronk leave the team and impending free agent Chris Godwin likely will look for a better quarterback situation. Even if Brady retires Tampa is still going to be a tough team for Atlanta to face. With a solid defensive line and a great offensive line, Tampa can still win games without Brady with a serviceable quarterback.
However, with Brady gone the Atlanta Falcons will believe they can beat the Bucs once again. It was only two short years ago that Jameis Winston was the quarterback for Tampa Bay and every time Atlanta played Tampa you knew they had a chance to beat the turnover-prone quarterback.
If Brady were to retire Atlanta suddenly has the best quarterback in the division and Tampa Bay like the Saints is relying on the rest of their roster to win games. Brady retiring this off-season would be perfect timing and leave the division-wide open for Arthur Smith’s Falcons to make an improbable run.