Could Tom Brady be even better in 2021?
Tom Brady did it all in 2020. He nearly matched career highs in production and won a Super Bowl, joining Peyton Manning as the only other player to win a Super Bowl with two different teams.
As with every season, there's a barrage of fans saying he's just over the hill. Surely he can't get any better. Can he? What is he, a Nietzschean Superman?
Why Tom Brady could still get better
At the end of 2019, Tom Brady ended his time with the New England Patriots. He jumped ship to Florida and joined forces with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
When players switch teams, it usually takes them time to adjust. There are new playbooks to learn from, players to develop chemistry with, coaches to feel out, learn a new commute, and so much more. The acclimatization process can take months.
The Buccaneers were 7-5 heading into December with Brady. Around that time, it all started to sink in for the NFL legend. In December, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won four games in a row, making the playoffs as a wild card. During this stretch, the Buccaneers put up their biggest blowout win of the season, registering a 47-7 win over the Detroit Lions.
Since December 13, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are undefeated. If Tom Brady can keep his team humming at the same rate they finished the season, there is no reason why Tampa Bay cannot finish with more wins than in 2020.
Last season, Tom Brady threw for 40 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. This was a season that saw him struggle mightily in Weeks 1, 2 and 9. In those weeks, Brady threw for a total of six interceptions and three touchdowns. Those three games make up a third of the games from the early part of the season in which the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked vulnerable.
Last December, Brady threw for 12 touchdowns and one interception in four games. If he were to come into 2021 as hot as he was in December, he could beat his totals from 2020 since he does not have any playbooks to memorize. In other words, Brady will have a head start this year to go out and absolutely dominate the league with roughly the same offensive roster.
It may seem unlikely, but Brady may be able to reach an even higher zenith than in 2020 as a 44-year-old quarterback.