The new Youth Inc episode with Greg Olsen and Tom Brady gives fans a rare look behind the curtain. Olsen tells a two chapter story that spans 2011 and 2020. The first chapter is a late night call from the Bears about a trade with the Patriots. The second is a burst of texts after Olsen’s release from the Panthers when Brady was picking his next team. Seeing Greg Olsen and Tom Brady near teammates during these times adds another layer to the story. Their presence, Greg Olsen and Tom Brady near teammates, becomes a poignant side to the tale. The video is part nostalgia and part alternate history. It is also very human. These are two stars talking about timing, friendship, and the moments that almost changed football forever.
The Patriots night before call that nearly made Olsen a Brady target
Olsen says the Bears told him the night before the draft that a trade with New England was ready if a target slipped. They had 3 second round picks and were aiming at a tight end who became Rob Gronkowski. The message to Olsen was simple. Stay ready because a deal with the Patriots could happen that weekend. He admits he was partly upset, yet also excited by the chance to catch passes from Tom Brady. Imagine Greg Olsen and Tom Brady near their potential teammates if this trade had materialized.
Reporters later echoed that near miss. The Patriots’ plan to overhaul tight end included interest in Olsen and the Gronk pick ended any swap. If that trade happened, the league might have watched a Brady to Olsen pairing during the heart of the Patriots title run. Olsen being near Brady’s teammates, with Tom Brady leading, would undoubtedly have been something special. That is the fun sting of this chapter. It did not happen, but it almost did.
“We were close a couple times.” — Greg Olsen
The February text thread, the waiting game, and a Tampa outcome
Fast forward to early 2020. Olsen had just been released by Carolina. He got Brady’s number from Julian Edelman and reached out. Soon a reply came in that made Olsen smile. “Happy to talk. TB.” But it was February. Brady could not sign until mid March. Olsen would have needed to wait 4 or 5 weeks. The timing did not work. Then Rob Gronkowski came out of retirement. Tampa won the Super Bowl. That is how a second near miss turned into another Brady Gronk chapter.
Olsen and Brady laugh about it now. They golf together and daydream about what might have been. Another timeline lives only in stories and group texts. If only Olsen had been near Brady and his teammates, the one we got still gave fans a title and a flood of classic moments.Olsen’s tone never sounds bitter. It sounds like a friend smiling at a fork in the road. He talks about shared film hours, the routes he dreamed about, the tight red zone throws that would have tested them both. Brady nods and calls it timing. Two pros accept luck as part of the game and keep moving with no drama.
Front row energy everywhere I go. Chasing championships and good times. 🏆🏁✨
