FOXBORO -- Almost nine years to the day after Bill Parcells took the 21-year-old Drew Bledsoe with the first pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, the Patriots shipped Bledsoe to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for the Bills first-round pick in the 2003 draft.
The deal ends months of speculation about Bledsoe's future in New England and signals the start of a whole new wave of discussion: Was it the right move?
Will the Patriots live to rue the day they sent the former franchise hood ornament to an AFC East rival? Or will their decision -- already vindicated by last season's success -- be further bolstered by Bledsoe's performance in Buffalo.
"Drew Bledsoe is a special player," Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. "I have great respect for all he has done for this franchise, not only for his contributions on the field, but also his contributions off the field. For many reasons and at many levels this was a difficult trade to make."
What's happened in Foxboro over the past seven months is almost unfathomable.
Just a year ago, Bledsoe signed a 10-year, $103-million contract extension that ensured he'd stay in New England for the rest of his career. The possibility he'd be headed anywhere else was as remote as the Patriots winning the 2001 Super Bowl. Now both have come to pass.
Bledsoe became expendable by the emergence of Tom Brady, the former sixth-round pick who came in after Bledsoe suffered a serious injury in the second game of the season. Brady led the Patriots to 14 wins in the next 17 games. The last one was a Super Bowl upset for the ages against the St. Louis Rams.
"We all know what the situation is," Belichick said. "When you have a football team you can only have one starting quarterback. However that situation is resolved -- and there's a lot of different ways to do that -- it can only be one guy. When you put it all in one pot, (trading Bledsoe) was probably the best for everybody."
In his nine seasons, Bledsoe went to three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl. He came into the league heralded as the heir apparent to the quarterbacking greats of the '80s -- Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, John Elway. For the most part, he played to that standard. He holds virtually every Patriots single-season and career record for quarterbacks, proved himself one of the league's most durable quarterbacks and threw for more than 3,000 yards in seven straight seasons, a feat bettered only by Marino, Elway and Brett Favre.
But beginning in the ninth game of the 1999 season, Bledsoe's production began to tail off. After a 6-2 start in '99 during which Bledsoe emerged as an MVP candidate, the Pats went 2-6 the rest of the way. Over that stretch, Bledsoe threw just 6 touchdowns and was intercepted 18 times. With the team in severe decline in 2000, Bledsoe took a pummeling and the team went 5-11.
Still, the team re-signed him to a contract extension last March. Bledsoe struggled mightily during training camp, played fairly well in the first game of the 2001 season, then played terribly in a home loss to the Jets. Near the end of that game, he got rammed by Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. The impact sheared an artery in Bledsoe's chest and Brady assumed the reins.
The way Brady ran the offense shone the light on Bledsoe's shortcomings. He was a quicker decision maker. He was more accurate. He had a greater sense of where the rush was coming from. He played with startling composure in the most stressful situations. He utilized underneath receivers.
Bledsoe was cleared to play again before the Nov. 18 game with the St. Louis Rams, but the day after that game, Belichick said he was going with Brady for the rest of the year. Bledsoe, who believed he'd been promised a chance to win the starting job back, fumed, but he swallowed hard and supported Brady for the rest of the season. The Patriots won every game after that. But Bledsoe's relationship with Belichick was toast.
When Brady was injured near the end of the first half in the AFC Championship, Bledsoe came in and threw a touchdown pass and finished off the game. That was his last on-field work as a Patriot.
After the Super Bowl, Bledsoe talked of wanting more than ever to play football. Believing he wouldn't get that chance in New England, he severed ties with the team, passing on the team's Super Bowl parade in Boston and declining to show up for voluntary offseason conditioning.
The Patriots talked hopefully of being able to bring both Brady and Bledsoe back, but behind the scenes they started to entertain offers for Bledsoe.
The Cincinnati Bengals were suitors, then bailed from discussions. Few other teams showed interest. Only Buffalo showed a real desire to land him, which they finally did after much effort.
Bledsoe leaves a deep imprint on New England. He played more than a small part in the team's drive to open a new stadium which, ironically, Bledsoe will never play in as a Patriot.
Belichick tried to call Bledsoe yesterday. He wound up leaving a message which he hopes is returned.
"I don't know how he feels (about calling back)," said Belichick. "I'm sure this year and this week haven't been comfortable for him and I respect that. But Drew's as professional and as stand-up a guy as you'll find. Whatever happens, I won't have anything but respect for him as a person and player."
The Patriots will play at Buffalo Nov. 3. Bledsoe and the Bills visit Foxboro on Dec. 8.
The Drew Bledsoe Era ended yesterday. The discussion will rage on.
