What Tom Brady had to say in his introductory press conference as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer
"There's nobody who's been a bigger fan of the Patriots than me."
After six Super Bowl titles and 20 seasons, veteran quarterback Tom Brady chose to say goodbye to the Patriots this offseason.
Brady inked a two-year, $50 million contract with the Tampa Bay Buccanneers, a franchise that last advanced to the postseason in 2007 and boasts the same number of playoff wins as Brady does rings.
So, what would it have taken to entice Brady to stay in New England? More money? He can earn up to $29.5 million per year with the Bucs. Better offensive weapons? The Bucs are loaded with wideouts Chris Godwin and Mike Evans. Longer-term — whatever longer-term means at 42 years old — stability? The Bucs were willing to give him a two-year deal with a no-trade clause.
Brady wouldn’t say.
“I don’t want to talk about the past,” he said during his introductory conference call Tuesday afternoon. “Because that’s not relevant to what’s important in my future and what’s going on this offseason for me.”
Maybe Brady just wanted to leave New England. As team owner Robert Kraft put it: If Tom Brady wanted to be a Patriot, he still would be.
Asked if he agreed with Kraft’s assessment, Brady once again played coy.
“I’m not responsible for how other people will say certain things,” he said. “Mr. Kraft has been a great influence in my life. I’m so grateful for those two decades. It’s been an amazing thing for my family. I’m sure when I’m done playing, I’ll look back and have a chance to really re-evaluate my entire career.”
Brady continued to voice his appreciation and respect for the Patriots organization, but that’s about all he would say about his departure. He wouldn’t say whether he was disappointed the Patriots didn’t make a stronger effort to bring him back. He admitted the transition was “emotional,” but didn’t seem interested in re-hashing what prompted him to sign elsewhere.
“I think, for all of us, things in life change and you got to be able to adapt and evolve,” Brady said. “With each of those changes, comes different opportunities to learn and grow. That’s where I’m at.”
Instead, Brady made it clear he’s excited about the challenge ahead. He expressed an eagerness to get to know his new teammates as well as some underlying frustration, given the league’s current restrictions amid the coronavirus outbreak. Formal offseason workouts could potentially be delayed, which would further extend Brady’s wait to get on the field with Godwin, Evans, and other targets.
For now, he’ll have to get to know them virtually.
“That doesn’t stop me from figuring out what I’ve got to do in my professional life to learn the things I need to learn and train the way I need to train,” Brady said. “One day at a time is a cliché, but it’s definitely not a cliché with the way I’m trying to live my life right now.”
Once they do hit the field, Brady said he’s looking forward to the challenge of getting up to speed, working with coach Bruce Arians, and seeing what the group can accomplish. In typical Brady fashion, he preached the platitudes of hard work.
“I wish we could start practice tomorrow,” Arians said.
Added Brady: “Great offenses aren’t about one player. Great offenses are about every guy being on the same page and playing with confidence and anticipation.”
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