A jersey never worn.

The New England Patriots training camp opens today.

What a difference a year makes.

Last year, right around this time, I purchased a Jarrett Stidham jersey to replace my faded, 20 year-old Tom Brady jersey. After watching Tom Brady leave for Tampa Bay, I decided that our second year quarterback was the future.

Still reeling from the loss of our franchise quarterback – I’m still reeling today – I willed myself into believing that this 23 year old signal caller was the next great thing, and I forced my eyes to the future.

I needed it. Though I fully understand that athletes have the freedom to play for any team they’d like, you reach a point as a fan when you rightfully expect a legendary player to finish off their career with the single team.

Derek Jeter, for example, did this with the Yankees. Kobe Bryant with the Lakers. Cal Ripken, Jr. Carl Yastrzemski, John Elway. Michael Jordan.

I was certain that Tom Brady would do the same.

Then he left. After sitting in the stands at Gillette Stadium for two decades, rooting for this man in every type of weather imaginable, he left.

He left for Florida.

Tom Brady began his NFL career in 2000, which was the same year I was finishing my first year of teaching. Since then, I have been teaching in the same school, and for the last 18 years, in the same classroom. His career and mine aligned well. As we both watched colleagues come and go, we remained.

Then he didn’t.

Sports is a business, but still, I feel a little betrayed. For the first time since 1978, I didn’t watch the Super Bowl last year.

I couldn’t.

Today, the Patriots open training camp with four quarterbacks on the roster.

Jarrett Stidham remains on the team, and if by some miracle he has made an enormous leap in skill over the previous year, he could still be the quarterback of the future.

More likely, however, it will be Mac Jones, the Patriots first round pick who looks ready. He will need to beat out veteran Cam Newton, who beat out Stidham for the job last year. That may not happen for another year, but in all likelihood, Stidham will be riding the bench or traded before the end of training camp.

The jersey I bought more than a year ago will never be worn, or perhaps only worn ironically.

Week 4 of the NFL season will bring Tom Brady back to Gillette Stadium as an opponent. That will be a challenging game for me. Though I know the day will come when I embrace Tom Brady once again, feeling immense gratitude for the two decades of joy that he brought me, I suspect that it will not happen this year.

Instead, I’ll be in the stands of Gillette Stadium, happy to be back after missing a full year of live games because of the pandemic, rooting against a player who I once adored.

Possibly wearing a Jarrett Stidham jersey.

Ironically.