"Rubbed him the wrong way" - NFL analyst believes the Buccaneers' defensive organization frustrated Tom Brady
Tom Brady announced his retirement following the 2021 NFL season, only to change his mind a few weeks later.
He announced that he will be returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for another season. Brady claims he has "unfinished business" to take care of.
These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG https://t.co/U0yhRKVKVm
Last season ended disappointingly for Brady and the Buccaneers.
Brady led a miraculous comeback against the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. Unfortunately, the Buccaneers defense gave up a huge play that resulted in a game-winning field goal for the Rams as time expired.
Replay of Stafford to Kupp 44-yd connection
#Rams 30 #Buccaneers 27 F https://t.co/JbxOxgjP0w
NFL analyst Tedy Bruschi, a former teammate of Brady's with the New England Patriots, believes the way the season ended rubbed Brady the wrong way.
"You think about how, how the Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished their season, you know, and so they finished their season, like on a defensive bust. You know, it's just hard to watch that if you're an offensive player and your quarterback, that, that that know that how everything you do is like planned and calculated and everything is like this is the way it should be everything should go the way according to plan and all of a sudden, you've got a miscommunication that costs you your season. These are the type of things that Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to fix."
Bruschi mentioned the game-changing play of the playoff game against the Rams as a prime example:
"The quintessential example for me was that last play when Ndamukong Suh was coming right down the pipe at a Matthew Stafford but somehow, some way Cooper Kupp gets behind them behind a defense that wasn't communicating properly on that play. And so I'm sure that sort of rubbed Tom Brady the wrong way."
If Bruschi is correct, Brady's frustration with the defensive breakdown could have led to his initial decision to retire.
After the anger settled down and Brady had some time to think things over, he decided he wanted to come back. He returns in an attempt to avenge the loss by pursuing a second Super Bowl in three years with the Buccaneers.
Tom Brady's contract with the Buccaneers
Tom Brady has just one year remaining on his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Following the 2022 NFL season, he will be an unrestricted free agent if he doesn't agree to a new contract extension with the Buccaneers.
He will be 45 in August, so he could potentially retire for good this time, but it's become clear that age is somewhat irrelevant when it comes to Brady.