New England's trade of backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco in exchange for a second-round pick prior to last week's NFL deadline came as a bit of shock.
But last spring, while trying to ask about a deal for Garoppolo then, the 49ers apparently inquired about an even more shocking trade that would have probably been the most stunning in sports history. It was a question that may have even caught the normally unflappable Bill Belichick a bit off guard.
According to a report from Fox Sports, 49ers first-year general manager John Lynch had a bold response when he was initially rebuffed regarding a possible trade for Garoppolo last offseason.
"So Lynch calls back," Fox Sports' Jay Glazer said this past Sunday on TV. "'Garoppolo's off limits. Will you trade us Tom Brady?' Belichick said, 'What did you just ask me?' [Lynch said], 'I'm asking would you trade us Tom Brady? You said Garoppolo's off limits.' He goes, 'Did you just ask me if you'd trade Tom Brady … Did you just ask me if I'd trade the greatest quarterback of all time?'
"And [Lynch] said, 'So is that a no?'"
Even though the teams finally connected on the Garoppolo trade last week, clearly the Brady question was a hard no.
There have always been speculative ideas that Brady, who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area idolizing 49ers Hall of Famer Joe Montana, might finish out his career with his home team if things ever went south for him in New England.
But with the now 40-year-old, five-time Super Bowl champion putting up the second-best passer rating in the NFL through the first half of the season while leading the Patriots to a 6-2 mark his stronghold on the quarterback position with the Patriots is as strong as ever.
Based on this latest story, Belichick never considered trading Brady and doesn't sound like he ever would have.
But give Lynch credit because as the old saying goes, it can never hurt to ask.
