So, what happens when Tom Brady retires? Most people of college age or younger have only known Tom Brady as the quarterback of the New England Patriots, except that one year he was hurt and Matt Cassel took them to a winning record. Before Tom Brady, the Patriots had never won a Super Bowl. Tom Brady has delivered them four Super Bowl wins since the turn of the century. But the question still remains, how much does Brady have left in the tank, and what happens after he retires? Avid Patriots fans refuse to think about this, but it is something serious to consider.

With a quarterback as skilled as Tom Brady, it's easy to understand the success the Patriots have had since the year 2000. Longtime Patriots fans rejoiced after Tom Brady stepped in for an injured Drew Bledsoe early in his career and never went back. At that time, he was officially "the guy." Everyone loved Tom and what he brought to the organization, both on and off the field. He was a talented quarterback who led the Patriots to consistent successful seasons, which included many Super Bowls, Conference championships, MVP awards, and many broken records. He was also a role model in the locker room, and everyone looked up to him.

But at the age of 38, there is no way he has much time left. Peyton Manning is 39 years old, and he's having his worst year, statistically, since his rookie year. Although Tom Brady, in my opinion and also from head-to-head match-ups and awards, is better than Peyton Manning, there has to be a time where Tom starts to decline. Yes, he is having his best season ever at the moment, but that could be some adrenaline from DeflateGate, which, if you do not know what it is and you're a sports fan, then you must be living under a rock. The question is not "if" Tom Brady will start to decline and retire, but "when." There have been rumors about this being his last year, but some people say he's got five or six more years of solid production in him, which is a bit absurd. I don't think I can see a 43-year old Tom Brady carrying the Patriots to another Super Bowl. Tom Brady's contract has him signed with the Patriots until 2017, and that would be a very good time to call it quits.

Okay, so say Tom Brady retires in 2017 and we move on to... who, exactly? Jimmy Garoppolo, if he's still even here? A draft prospect we pick up in the 2016 or 2017 draft? Unless it's an Andrew Luck- or a Russell Wilson-type of rookie, I don't see how a draft pick could become someone like Tom Brady, and definitely not in a year or two. So does that mean that Patriots fans need to be prepared to have a few losing seasons? Maybe. Yes, we will still have Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, and Bill Belichick will coach them to victory, right? Maybe not.

You've seen what's happened to great Patriots players: Deion Branch, Wes Welker. Aqib Talib, and Darrelle Revis just to name a few. There is also more speculation about Bill Belichick leaving the Patriots when Tom Brady retires. It makes sense, a legendary coach and quarterback combination going out at the same time. It would be a smart move if Belichick wanted to avoid coaching a young, rebuilding team without a base player like Tom Brady.

This is a very scary thing to think about if you're a Patriots fan. Who knows the next time a player like Tom Brady will come into the league, let alone fall into the Patriots' hands? Be prepared for some tough times soon, Pats Nation. It's coming.