"Tom Brady is a guy that has never been in this position" - Stephen A. Smith claims Bucs not keeping QB's ego in check
Playing his 23rd season in the NFL, Tom Brady seems to be making more headlines for his tantrums than his touchdowns. So far, we've seen the Tampa Bay Buccaneers star yelling at teammates and throwing a tablet on the sidelines. However, Stephen A. Smith offered a reason for Brady's behavior.
On First Take, Smith commented that the quarterback wasn't used to being in the position he's currently in:
"The fact of the matter is that we can't sit here and repeatedly talk about one sport after another, one team after another, where we talk about how certain things are a distraction. But then ignore those distractions when it's applicable to Tom Brady... Tom Brady is a guy that has never been in this position."
Smith added that this behavior was never observed while Brady was with the New England Patriots:
"He's never made some of the decisions off the field or things that affect how you play on the field that he has made, skipping practices, skipping training camps, skipping, walkthroughs, etc. He seems to be treated differently than everybody else was in New England. All we heard for 20 years was that that was never the case and that Tom Brady was all about the team. "
Tom Brady's absences from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
During the preseason, many NFL fans wondered where the three-time All-Pro was during his absence from training camp. It was later disclosed that he was away due to a personal matter.
Fast forward to the events leading up to the Buccaneers' Week 6 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. The quarterback missed the team walkthrough the Saturday before the game. He had been away from the team since the Friday.
The three-time MVP yelled at his offensive line during the game against the Steelers. Many fans saw that as an example of the aforementioned change in behavior from Brady.
After a 20-18 loss to Pittsburgh, the Buccaneers now find themselves sitting at 3-3, tied with the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. With reports of an impending divorce from Gisele Bündchen, it seems that the greatest quarterback in NFL history is dealing with a lot.
If you use any of the quotes above, please credit First Take and H/T Sportskeeda.