Did Tom Brady bite off more than he can chew by joining Tampa Bay?
For Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the resumes don’t quite match up.
“The Patriots, we would talk about ‘Championship City.’ The Bucs are talking about ‘getting into the dance.’ It’s a whole other world Tom Brady is stepping into.” — @kevinwildes pic.twitter.com/KLYfangeIg
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) March 25, 2020
Tom Brady’s move from New England to Tampa Bay will signal a change in the NFL world, and presumably, the Patriots will no longer be the most-feared franchise in the land.
Now, the question is if the Buccaneers – with the legendary Brady at the helm – will assume that role.
It’s possible. But if recent history is any indication, it’s going to take the old Brady – not just an old Brady – to make it happen.
“Is it easier for one 20-year veteran, football genius to adjust to 24 other people or is it easier for 24 other people, some of whom are 1st and 2nd and 3rd year players, to adjust their system? It’s obviously easier for Brady to adjust.” — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/JV1TKqYncI
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) March 25, 2020
If any player in the NFL knows how to win, it’s TB12, a 6-time Super Bowl champion and the consensus GOAT.
But, what we know about football is that it’s a team sport. And for the last 20 seasons, more often than not, the Patriots have had the correct team in place to get to the promised land, year after year.
“It’s all about the culture. All 32 teams will say, ‘the championship is the goal.’ But not every single team in the NFL understands how to approach that goal step by step. … On paper, the Bucs look great. On paper, the Cleveland Browns looked great last year.” — @GregJennings pic.twitter.com/8js1mWAGrO
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) March 25, 2020
So far, the narrative has been that in Tampa Bay, Brady will now have the weapons he lacked in New England last year and in previous years. And there is no debating that Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and others represent a young batch of talented hands, the likes of which Brady hasn’t had at his disposal in recent seasons.
But what also can’t be ignored is that Evans, Godwin, and many other Bucs haven’t sniffed a Super Bowl since entering the league.
In fact, they haven’t even sniffed the playoffs.
For context, since 2002, the year in which Tampa Bay won its only Super Bowl in franchise history – which also represents its last playoff victory – Brady and the Patriots have qualified for the playoffs 16 times.
New England has only missed the playoffs twice under Brady: in 2002 and in 2008 – a season in which Brady tore his ACL in the season opener and missed the next 15 games.
This is going to be a culture clash, right?
The game’s greatest winner and a franchise that hasn’t won in nearly two decades?
Something has to give, and no season would be better than this season for Brady to turn it around for Tampa.
“I believe Brady chose Tampa because it is the losingest franchise in all of sports. He happened to notice that the Bucs have the Super Bowl in their home stadium. He’s going to be possessed and obsessed next year to get even with Belichick.” — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/TPzUWCZlCg
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 25, 2020
Skip believes that the 42-year old Brady has another burst in him.
“I think you’re going to see vintage Brady next year in Tampa. I’m picking them to win the NFC and I’m picking Belichick’s team to miss the playoffs.” — @RealSkipBayless pic.twitter.com/sVVKrjts5u
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 24, 2020
But it won’t be easy, starting with the in-division competition.
Last season, in the AFC East, Brady’s quarterback counterparts were Sam Darnold of the New York Jets, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, and Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Miami Dolphins.
Darnold and Allen were both in their second professional years, and Fitzpatrick has played for eight teams since 2005.
“The Bucs are in a far tougher division. Tom Brady goes from having to beat Josh Allen, Sam Darnold & Ryan Fitzpatrick to having to beat Drew Brees, Matt Ryan & Teddy Bridgewater. … Everything just got harder for Tom.” — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/B4YYYOOIkR
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) March 25, 2020
As Nick Wright explained, Brady will see a huge jump in competition, having to face off twice a year with 13-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champ Drew Brees, 4-time Pro Bowler and former NFL MVP Matt Ryan, and former Pro Bowler Teddy Bridgewater.
Furthermore, history is not on Brady and the Bucs’ side.
Since 2007, the Buccaneers have finished in the top two of the division just once, back in 2016. They have finished third in the division three times in that time span and finished last in the division eight times.
“The [Bucs offense] has to say, ‘Tom, we got you.’ In this stage of his career, Tom’s going to rely more on the offense lifting him up than the offense is going to rely on Tom lifting them up.” — @GregJennings pic.twitter.com/sf1DjJEHNb
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) March 25, 2020
If anyone can take a franchise from worst to first, it’s the GOAT – and he’s a hungry GOAT, at that.
.@RealSkipBayless: I’ve told you from the start, Brady is going to be all-time hungry next year to get to a Super Bowl before Belichick.@ShannonSharpe: He was still hungry last year! He just didn’t eat! ? pic.twitter.com/s1bGuaf6Vt
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) March 20, 2020
And this season, we’ll see just how much Brady can fit on his plate.
