Sean Payton: I tried talking Giants into drafting Tom Brady in 2000

What would have come from Tom Brady being drafted by the Giants as a substitute of the Patriots in 2000?

Throughout an look on on the “Inexperienced Mild Podcast” with Chris Lengthy, former Saints coach Sean Payton mentioned he tried to persuade New York to draft Brady — who wound up being chosen 199th total choose within the sixth spherical by the Patriots.

Peyton was in his first yr as offensive coordinator with the Giants on the time. His agent, Don Yee, requested him to talk to a shopper he had simply signed. The shopper was Brady.

“Don would periodically name me with a shopper that he simply signed, and he mentioned, ‘Hey will you name up Tom Brady? He’s at Michigan and I’ve received him, and simply assist him out with issues that might be essential for him on the mix,'” Payton mentioned. “

“Mainly, I bear in mind it being a half an hour telephone name on what’s essential. Make a great impression, be ready to reply some soccer questions. The interviews have been way more casual at the moment.”

Sean Payton shakes hands with Tom Brady while they were with the Saints and Patriots
Sean Payton shakes fingers with Tom Brady whereas they have been with the Saints and Patriots
Getty Photographs

Payton, who graded Brady as a late third or early fourth-round choose on the time, mentioned he didn’t have sufficient pull within the Giants entrance workplace to go to bat for Brady.

“We have been [scouting] Brady, now that is going across the room and everybody’s seen Tom run the 40 on the mix. Everybody’s seen, you realize, you get the physique, weigh in footage, all of that,” Payton mentioned about Brady’s notorious mix picture, that exhibits him showing lanky in a pair of grey shorts.

The infamous Tom Brady combine photo from 2000
The notorious Tom Brady mix picture from 2000
Twitter

“So, you've gotten a man who isn't totally developed but who was just about a one-year starter. You may inform that he wants the burden room,” Payton mentioned. “However Lloyd Carr [Michigan head coach] mentioned this, I’ll always remember it, he mentioned he’s the hardest participant that he’s ever coached. That meant one thing.”

The Giants handed on Brady in 2000 to draft Ron Dayne, Cornelius Griffin, Ron Dixon, Brandon Brief, Ralph Brown and Dhani Jones.

New York had Kerry Collins as their quarterback on the time, who led the Giants to Tremendous Bowl XXXV in 2000, the place they misplaced to the Ravens. Jason Garrett was the backup quarterback in New York, and retired after the 2000 season, which might have made room for Brady.

Sean Payton in 2000 while he was the offensive coordinator of the Giants
Sean Payton in 2000 whereas he was the offensive coordinator of the Giants
Getty Photographs

However he took his abilities to New England, the place he received six Tremendous Bowls with Patriots coach Invoice Belichick.

Brady left New England after 20 seasons in March 2020 to play for the Buccaneers, and led Tampa Bay to a Tremendous Bowl title in his first yr with the workforce.

After a quick 40-day retirement, Brady introduced final month that he plans to return to Tampa Bay for his twenty third season to care for “unfinished enterprise.” In keeping with a report, nevertheless, he initially deliberate on becoming a member of the Dolphins in 2022 as a minority proprietor – and would have tried to recruit Payton to be the coach.

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