Major Influence in Patriots’ Tom Brady Dynasty Dies at 79

Had the New York Jets heeded the advice of Jesse Kaye, their long-standing rivalry with the New England Patriots might've played out differently.

A crucial, if not unsung, figure in the long-standing AFC East rivalry between the New England Patriots and New York Jets has passed away.

Longtime NFL scout Jesse Kaye died on Saturday due to complications from a stroke suffered in 2016. Kaye's passing was first reported by the Green Bay Packers, who had hosted him in their scouting department for six seasons (1989-94).

Unheeded advice from Kaye might have shifted the course of the Patriots franchise and NFL history as a whole: shortly after his departure from Green Bay, Kaye wound up with the New York Jets and was in their war room during the 2000 NFL Draft. Responsible for the Jets' Midwest scouting, Kaye reportedly implored New York brass, including head coach Bill Parcells, to draft a quarterback named Tom Brady out of Michigan with the 179th pick.

Jets management, however, went in another direction, instead using the selection on North Carolina State defensive back Tony Scott, who lasted only 23 games in the league, earning just one interception in that span. New York had previously used one of three first-round choices on Marshall thrower Chad Pennington. 

Little more, of course, needs to be written about Brady's success in New England ... which included a 31-8 record against the Jets. Brady would go to the Patriots 20 picks later, originally backing up Drew Bledsoe before a fateful September evening in 2001 afforded him his first regular season opportunity in Foxboro ... one he'd go on to hold for nearly two decades.

Only Kaye, perhaps, saw it coming.

"(Kaye) liked Brady and there wasn't anything on the surface that would make you think (Brady would turn out like he did)," Dick Haley, then the Jets' director of player personnel, told Green Bay team historian Cliff Christl in 2002. "First of all, (Brady) was in the 190s and like 6-4. So he was very thin. He didn't run fast at all. And Henson was considered to be a big-time player. I saw a game early and Brady didn't play at all. But it was a matter of (Kaye) going in and digging out and finding the guy."

In addition to his scouting duties on the NFL level, Kaye previously took snaps as a quarterback in other leagues such as the CFL and the World Football League. Kaye's last NFL work came in 2014, also working with the Pittsburgh Steelers in addition to Green Bay and New York. 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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