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NFL

Texas Rangers asked to help find Brady jersey

Texas’ Lieutenant Governor has asked the Texas Rangers to aid the Houston Police Department in its investigation of Tom Brady’s missing jersey, which disappeared following Super Bowl LI.

“In Texas we place a very high value on hospitality and football. Tom Brady’s jersey has great historical value and is already being called ‘the most valuable NFL collectable ever.’ It will likely go into the Hall of Fame one day,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a statement.

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“It is important that history does not record that it was stolen in Texas. I’ve called Colonel Steve McCraw to ask that the Texas Rangers work with the Houston Police Department on this case.

“I’m a Texans and Cowboys fan first, but the unquestionable success of the Super Bowl in Houston last night was a big win for our entire state and I don’t want anything to mar that victory. Whoever took this jersey should turn it in. The Texas Rangers are on the trail.”

The Texas Rangers is a division in the Texas Department of Public Safety, comprised of 222 employees (162 Rangers and 62 support personnel), that, according to their website, leads “major incident crime investigations, unsolved crime/serial crime investigations, public corruption and public integrity investigations, officer involved shooting investigations, and border security operations.”

Ken Goldin of Goldin Auctions, based in New Jersey, told the New York Post that the jersey could be worth as much as $500,000 or nothing if it is not soon located and authenticated as the jersey Brady wore in the Patriots’ epic comeback victory.

“If I could give some legal advice to whoever has this, I’d hire a lawyer, turn it over to that lawyer, see if there’s a reward and be happy with it,” Goldin told the newspaper.

“This can’t be sold publicly right now, because there’s nobody who doesn’t know this was stolen.”

Brady on Monday called the missing jersey an “unfortunate” situation.

“I put it in the bag, and I came out and it wasn’t there anymore. It’s unfortunate because that’s a nice piece of memorabilia,” Brady said Monday. “If it shows up on eBay somewhere, someone let me know so I can track that down.”

Asked if he planned to give the jersey to his mother, Galynn, who has been battling an undisclosed illness, Brady said Monday: “Those are special ones to keep.

“What can you do? I’ll take a ring, and that’s good enough for me.”

The Houston Police Department hadn’t immediately returned an ESPN request for comment.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss contributed to this report.

NFL

Belichick: 'Insulting' to say ban fueled Brady

HOUSTON — New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick spoke passionately Monday morning about Tom Brady, as he clearly wanted to share his view about the thought that the quarterback might have been fueled by vengeance this season in the wake of Deflategate.

“I think it’s really inappropriate to suggest that in Tom’s career that he’s been anything other than a great teammate, a great worker, and has given us every single ounce of effort, blood, sweat and tears that he has in him,” Belichick said Monday morning at the traditional Super Bowl MVP/head coach news conference.

“To insinuate that this year is somehow different, that he competed harder or did anything to a higher degree than he ever has in the past I think is insulting to the tremendous effort, and leadership and competitiveness that he’s shown for the 17 years I’ve coached him.”

Bill Belichick, on quarterback Tom Brady

“To insinuate that this year is somehow different, that he competed harder or did anything to a higher degree than he ever has in the past I think is insulting to the tremendous effort, and leadership and competitiveness that he’s shown for the 17 years I’ve coached him. It’s been like every year, every day, every week, every practice. Tom Brady gives us his best every time he steps on the field.”

Belichick’s remarks came as part of an answer to a more of a football-specific question on whether analysts overlook Brady’s pinpoint accuracy.

Short on sleep after a Super Bowl LI celebration that continued into the early hours of the morning, Belichick also shared how the team’s 34-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons had special meaning for him because of family considerations.

All three of his children — Stephen, Amanda and Brian — were on the field after the game. Stephen concluded his fifth season on the coaching staff, while Brian finished his first year as a personnel assistant. Amanda is the women’s lacrosse head coach at Holy Cross.

Bill Belichick speaks to the media Monday while standing next to the record fifth Vince Lombardi Trophy he has won as Patriots coach. EPA/Larry W. Smith

“It was a tremendous feeling to put my arms around them and celebrate,” he said, before mentioning his mother, Jeannette, and then his late father, Steve, who he said was probably watching “on the 50-yard line.” Belichick also mentioned sharing the joy with his girlfriend, Linda Holliday, and her two daughters.

But true to form, Belichick showed that he’s not about to stop adopting a forward-thinking laser focus.

“The NFL season, the calendar is what it is, so as great as today feels and as great as today is, in all honesty we’re five weeks behind in the 2017 season,” he said, drawing laughter from some reporters.

“Fortunately we have a great personnel staff. [Director of player personnel] Nick Caserio, [director of college scouting] Monti Ossenfort, [pro scouting director] Dave Ziegler, those guys do a great job. In a couple of weeks, we’re going to be looking at the combine, obviously the draft, all-star games have already occurred. And in a month, we’re in free agency, not to mention all the internal Patriots players whose contracts are up and we’re going to have to work with in some form or fashion, like every team in the league does.

“So now is not really the time to do that. If you don’t do a good job with your football team in February, March and April, you’re probably going to see that in November, December and January.”

Belichick said the coaches will get their break in mid-to-late June into July.

“We have some catching up to do,” he said. “But it’s where we want to be.”

NFL

Patriots' Brady: RB White deserves MVP truck

HOUSTON — Two years ago, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady gave the truck he received as Super Bowl XLIX Most Valuable Player to cornerback Malcolm Butler for his game-saving interception. This year, he has plans to do something similar.

“I think James White deserves it,” Brady said Monday morning at the traditional Super Bowl MVP news conference.

White, a third-year running back from Wisconsin, set Super Bowl records with 14 receptions and 20 points scored in Sunday’s dramatic 34-28 comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons. He rushed for the Patriots’ final two touchdowns, had a two-point conversion, and caught a 5-yard touchdown pass as well. The three touchdowns tied a Super Bowl record.

Brady, weary-eyed from just a few hours of sleep, compared White to his 9-year-old son Jack.

Super Bowl LI MVP Tom Brady poses with his fourth Pete Rozelle Trophy after helping the Patriots win a fifth Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl LI. AP Photo/Morry Gash

“He just does everything right and you can never get mad at him,” he joked. “Even when he doesn’t make the play, he feels worse about it than you do. He’s just the best teammate, an incredible player, and has been that way since he really assumed that big role when Dion [Lewis] got hurt [in November 2015]. I’m so proud of everything he’s accomplished. I’ve seen him grow up as a rookie, to working his tail off and becoming a big factor in all these games.”

White, whose 110 receiving yards in Super Bowl LI was a record for a running back, fills the “passing back” role in the offense. That role has traditionally been a big part of the team’s plans, with players such as Kevin Faulk, Danny Woodhead, Shane Vereen and Lewis.

“They’re tough matchups; not only can they run, and not only can they catch, but they pass-protect too, so they bring a lot of toughness,” Brady said, praising running backs coach Ivan Fears for his work before turning his attention back to White: “It was a great performance by him when we needed it most on the biggest stage, and he really came through for us.”

At the news conference, Brady was introduced by commissioner Roger Goodell, who called it a “great honor” for the league and him personally to have Brady and head coach Bill Belichick on hand.

Given the recent history between Goodell and Brady with the NFL’s Deflategate penalties, some wondered if there would be any notable interactions between them. After Goodell called Brady onto the stage, they took a photo together in front of the Lombardi Trophy and the Pete Rozelle Trophy awarded to the MVP before Brady answered questions from reporters.

Judge Richard Berman, who ruled against the NFL in Deflategate, told The Associated Press in an email that the Patriots showed with their Super Bowl victory “never to quit, everything is possible, and the importance of teamwork.”

When Brady concluded the media question-and-answer session, he grasped the MVP trophy, said “I’m taking this home!” and walked off the stage toward Goodell.

The two shook hands before Brady departed.

NFL

Bar raised high, as success of Patriots' season defined by Super Bowl

HOUSTON — The New England Patriots’ season ended with a 34-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI, as they charged back from a 25-point second-half deficit. Here is a look at the season and what’s next:

Grade: A+

Season summary: The bar has been raised high in New England under Bill Belichick, as seasons are defined by whether the team’s Super Bowl hopes were realized. Anything less than that and it falls short.

If this were just about the regular season, the 2016 campaign was one of the most impressive of Belichick’s 17 years as coach. The year began without quarterback Tom Brady, who served a four-game suspension as part of the NFL’s Deflategate penalties, and the Patriots came out of that with a 3-1 record. Having backup Jimmy Garoppolo ready to go was a strong reflection on Garoppolo and the coaching staff, and then when he injured his shoulder, winning in Week 3 with rookie Jacoby Brissett under center was a terrific accomplishment.

By season’s end, it’s hard to argue much with a 14-2 record, a team record for fewest interceptions in a season (two, smashing the previous mark of five), and a level of consistency that continues to impress as volatility prevails across most of the rest of the NFL landscape.

But in the end, this is always about the playoffs for the Patriots, and anything less than a Super Bowl ring is a disappointment. Talk about high-class living.

With Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, it’s still Super Bowl or bust for the Patriots. AP Photo/Steven Senne

Biggest draft need: Tight end. With Rob Gronkowski coming off back surgery and Martellus Bennett no guarantee to return as a free agent, this is a position that figures to be high on the Patriots’ radar based on its general importance to the offense over Belichick’s 17-year tenure. Belichick has talked about how a true combination tight end who is effective in both the running and passing games can be hard to find.

Key offseason questions:

Are LB Dont’a Hightower or CB Malcolm Butler signed to extensions? When cornerback Darrelle Revis signed a lucrative free-agent deal with the Jets in 2015, owner Robert Kraft pointed out how the team had some up-and-coming players due for extensions and that every decision the team made had a trickle-down effect. Two of those players Kraft referred to, Chandler Jones (Cardinals) and Jamie Collins (Browns), are now elsewhere and that leaves Hightower and Butler as the next in line. Hightower, who made some of the biggest defensive plays in Super Bowl LI, is an unrestricted free agent who could get the franchise tag if an extension isn’t reached. Butler is a restricted free agent.

What happens with QB Jimmy Garoppolo? This is one of the most fascinating storylines across the entire NFL, as Garoppolo has great value to the Patriots as the backup to the soon-to-be-40-year-old Brady, but if another team is willing to put together a can’t-refuse-it deal, do the Patriots take the plunge? Garoppolo is a free agent after the 2017 season and the Patriots could lose him after that anyway. How the team views the future of Brissett, a third-round pick in the 2016 draft, figures to be part of the consideration as well.

What is a realistic expectation for Rob Gronkowski? The Patriots are in a good economic position to not have their hand forced with Gronkowski, who is coming off back surgery and due to earn $4.25 million in base salary in 2017. Gronkowski should be part of the team’s plans, but how much they can rely on him could have an impact on their team-building plans. If Gronkowski sustains another season-ending injury in 2017, what then? Gronkowski’s base salaries spike to $8 million in 2018 and $9 million in 2019, which is a lot more for the team to absorb if there are injury concerns. So Gronkowski’s return to health in 2017, and how that proceeds, will be watched closely.

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