It has been over a week since star quarterback Tom Brady made the decision to leave the New England Patriots and join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There have been many to weigh in on the matter with varying reactions to the change in course for Brady‘s career that saw him leave the franchise that he has spent the last two decades with in his illustrious career. At the same time, the choice hasn’t shocked one of his Patriots teammates by any means.

Tom Brady joins the Bucs

In the weeks leading up to Brady‘s expected free agency, there was much uncertainty in the way of his future with the franchise.

Brady had continued to stay the path that he was unsure of what lay in front of him this offseason, which opened the door further to his possible departure. All of that came to fruition just before the start of free agency as he informed the Patriots that he was leaving the franchise.

It didn’t take long after that for him to make up his mind where he wanted to play next as he decided to join the Buccaneers. The Los Angeles Chargers were also in the running to potentially secure his services, but Tampa Bay offered him the chance to remain as close as possible to his son from a previous relationship, who lives in the New York area.

Brady’s decision has had many different responses across the board, but one of his former teammates wasn’t surprised by the move.

Stephon Gilmore not surprised by Tom Brady’s decision

The telling signs were all there that Brady could be on his way out of New England, but until it transpired there wasn’t many that felt he had played his last game with the franchise.

It was a move that caught many of surprise at a different rate, but reigning Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore voiced that he wasn’t taken aback by his now-former teammate’s decision, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.

“Not surprised,” he said. “A player like him, playing somewhere that long, you never can see it, but it shows you that in the National Football League it can be anyone going somewhere. It’s a business, and that’s how you have to look at it.”

Although Brady had become a staple for the Patriots’ success over the last two decades, it all comes back to the NFL being a business. It’s a league that is dependent on the single notion of what players can provide to their team now and often brushes aside what was accomplished in the past.

New England didn’t show that they were fully committed to Brady being the long-term answer moving forward, which opened the door to star quarterback to look elsewhere. It was a tough decision, but it rang even brighter the NFL like the other sports leagues, are operated at their core as businesses.

Tom Brady moving forward to next NFL chapter

It may have marked an end of an era for the Patriots with Brady out of the picture, but it presents an entirely new set of challenges for the six-time Super Bowl champion.

The 42-year-old has an opportunity to prove he can continue to find much success away from the umbrella of the Patriots. It’s a chance to further add to his legacy by leading another franchise to Super Bowl contention while further lifting up into the conversation as being arguably the greatest quarterback to play the game.

It’s a significant change he will have to adjust to moving forward quickly, but Brady appears to be more than ready to embrace the challenges ahead.