Tom Brady Not Concerned About Future with Patriots Amid Free-Agency Rumors

Tom Brady doesn't seem to be in any rush to finish a new contract with the New England Patriots before he's officially a free agent in March.

The legendary quarterback hasn't had any discussions with the Patriots yet and hasn't spent much time worrying about it, either.

"I would say these things haven't even started to pick up," Brady told Jim Gray during a radio interview with Westwood One (h/t ESPN's Mike Reiss). "It's really not my concern at this point."

Brady added that he loves playing for New England but doesn't know what that looks like moving forward.

"There is a lot of time to figure these things out," Brady said. "I don't think any player or team is ready to make any commitments at this point, and I'm sure as the offseason progresses those things will take care of themselves."

Reiss reported that Brady and the Patriots "haven't had any substantial talks about an extension" since before the season started, and it would seem that lack of urgency has carried over to the new year.

The 42-year-old has won six Super Bowl titles in New England while claiming three MVP awards and earning 14 Pro Bowl selections. He's been the unquestioned face of the franchise since taking over for Drew Bledsoe in 2001, revitalizing a team that would come to define the NFL during his tenure.

That relationship could now be in jeopardy with Fox Sports' Jay Glazer previously reporting on Fox NFL Sunday that Brady would not be taking a hometown discount. While both sides have made statements affirming they'd like to continue working together, the longer it takes for a deal to get done, the more speculation there will be as to what the holdup is and who else the Pats could be considering at quarterback.

On PFT Live, NBC's Peter King speculated that New England could look to long-time Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton to fill the void if Brady ends up elsewhere next season (h/t Nick O'Malley of MassLive).

ESPN's Jeff Darlington has also suggested that staying with the Patriots is "FAR from a guarantee," while Adam Schefter said on The Greg Hill Show he believes there will be teams that could woo the quarterback away from Foxborough.

None of the noise has gotten to Brady just yet.

"I can only say how I feel, and that's what's the truth to me and what's authentic to me," Brady told Gray. "And I have no decision that I have made, and there won't be for some considerable time. So I know there is speculation; there always is. That's just part of being in professional sports; that's part of being a professional athlete."

An option that's no longer on the table for the quarterback: retirement. Brady wrote a lengthy Instagram post earlier this week assuring his fans he wasn't done playing football.

He just didn't say where that would be.