Rob Ninkovich doesn’t appear to be in Tom Brady’s good graces.
During Friday’s installment of the “Keyshawn, JWill and Max” show on ESPN, Ninkovich — a former Patriots linebacker, who now serves as an NFL analyst with ESPN — said he texted the Buccaneers quarterback after their season-ending loss to the Cowboys in the wild-card round, and didn’t get a warm response from Brady.
“Is Tom trying to win another Super Bowl or is he going home to hang out with the family?” Johnson asked, to which Ninkovich said he didn’t know.
“I’ve been trying to investigate that… I’ve been trying to get some info out of that and I’m not getting anywhere with that,” Ninkovich said, laughing. “And then I tried to be nice and just you know, hit up a friend and be like, ‘Hey man, great season. I hope you’re recovering… you finished well, you still got it.’
“And he responds: ‘Not according to your hard-hitting analysis.’” (The whole soundbite can be heard here at the 7:44 mark.)
Ninkovich — who won two Super Bowls alongside Brady in nine seasons together in New England — seemed surprised by Brady’s text.
Jay Wiliams chimed in, adding, “That’s what I love about this job, we have personal relationships with a lot of guys and then when you try and be objective they get so butt hurt about it.”
After the crew appeared shocked and shared a laugh, Ninkovich added, “I was trying to be nice… Now I’m trying to think back, like what did I say bad?”
Max Kellerman also recalled when Ninkovich said last January that he “wouldn’t be surprised” if Brady retired after last season.
Brady retired briefly last February before changing his mind and announcing his NFL return 40 days later. Now, all eyes are on the seven-time Super Bowl champion once again following the conclusion of his 23rd NFL season.
Brady, who turns 46 in August, is a free agent for the second time in his career. During a recent episode of his Sirius XM “Let’s Go” podcast, Brady told co-host Jim Gray that he is “taking it a day at a time.”
Brady, who said in October that retirement isn’t in his future, has been linked to the Raiders, Dolphins, Titans and 49ers.
Johnson went on to ask Ninkovich about Bill O’Brien returning to New England as its new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
“I think [people in Boston] are really excited because they have an opportunity,” Ninkovich said. “I like the move because number one, Billy O has obviously a great track record with quarterbacks and he has head coaching experience.”
The Patriots confirmed the O’Brien hire Thursday after their offense struggled under Joe Judge and Matt Patricia in a dysfunctional season. New England missed the playoffs and finished 8-9, third in the AFC East.
The 53-year-old O’Brien spent five seasons under Bill Belichick from 2007-2011, serving as an offensive assistant, receivers coach, QB coach and OC.
