The sight of Tom Brady on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a strange one for many New England Patriots fans, and it sounds like Jamie Collins feels the same way.
Collins spoke on an introductory conference call Tuesday in his first press availability since leaving the Patriots and signing with the Detroit Lions in NFL free agency. He was asked about Brady's surprising decision to sign with the Buccaneers, and the veteran linebacker wasn't afraid to admit that it feels a bit odd.
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Collins was drafted by the Patriots in 2013 and remained in New England until the team traded him to the Cleveland Browns in the middle of the 2016 campaign. He won a championship with Brady during the 2014 season when the Patriots defeated the defending champion Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX.
The 30-year-old linebacker returned to the Patriots as a free agent for the 2019 season and was one of the team's best defensive players. He tallied a team-high seven sacks and a career-high three interceptions, along with 81 total tackles, three forced fumbles and seven passes defensed.
Collins was able to parlay his strong 2019 campaign into a reported three-year, $30 million contract with the Lions in free agency. He'll reunite with former Patriots defensive coordinator and current Lions head coach Matt Patricia in Detroit.
