Football fans have been questioning Tom Bradys immortality for years now. At 42 years old, the Hall of Fame, six-time Super Bowl winner says he wants to play until hes 45, but its not clear whether the remainder of his career will be with New England. Still, there are few people that would ever compare him to Andy Dalton.

While the prospect of Tom Brady in another jersey might sound jarring, the era of one-franchise players is just a memory now. So we have to ask should Brady leave or even retire early? And if he does, who replaces him? Rumor has it Cincinnatis Andy Dalton could get the call.

Picturing the Patriot dynasty with the humble Dalton at the helm, rather than A-lister Tom Brady, could be a challenge for some. But a few of the same reasons that make this suggestion sound preposterous also make it a real possibility. For starters, Dalton isa free agent at the moment. What started as social media chatter gained some validation when esteemed NFL pundit Peter King brought the topic up on his NBC show.

Kings comments followed the social media hubbub and propelled the rumor to gossip status, earning it enough credence for commentary from other big names like former Denver Bronco Shannon Sharpe.

If the chatter is believable, Dalton might be the hero New England needs, if not the one they deserve. People have held Brady up as an excellent teacher of young quarterbacks, which is credible given the performance of Jimmy Garoppolo, who will lead the 49ers to the Super Bowl this year. Jarret Stidham has already spent time under Bradys tutelage but could benefit from the leadership of a seasoned veteran like Dalton before taking the reins.

New England isnt a team that relies on the quarterback position alone. With a stable offensive line and several prominent offensive weapons, its realistic to think Dalton could rack up some wins from behind center. But ultimately, putting the redhead behind the center would only be an interim move for the Pats.

Rumors are flowing that NFL supervillain and Patriots coach Bill Belichick likes Dalton because, in Kings words, [hes] a football player. To say that differently, Dalton isnt the rockstar that Brady is. That might allow Belichick and the Pats to take a more businesslike approach to practice and playing good football. Its also a testament to Belichicks conviction around his ability to work with clay and create a winning football team.

There is also plenty that think that Belichick wants to be seen as a genius that can win without Brady.

Its still early, and much of the follow up from this involves knowing what Brady will do. Still, people have been talking about what will happen after Brady for years now. With so much energy coming from this idea, you have to give it some credence. The illustrious Brady always seems to find another visit to the fountain of football youth, so well likely be holding our breath until the last minute on this one.

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Could Andy Dalton End Up Replacing Tom Brady? - Last Word on Pro Football