Jason Licht’s Right-Hand Man: “Tom Has Taken A Big Interest In Making Sure That A.B. Has The Right Support System Around Him”
November 2nd, 2020
Dynamic duo talk
The stories have been out there regarding the extreme support, including housing, Tom Brady is providing mercurial and felonious receiver Antonio Brown.
A Bucs official addressed this subject today.
Buccaneers director of football administration, Mike Greenberg, the guy many consider the greatest salary cap/contract guru in the NFL, was interviewed on WFAN sports radio in New York. Of course, Joe was listening.
(Greenberg seems like a great dude, but Joe’s not one to get excited about a lawyer/accountant type unless someone is going to tell Joe that he’s breaking down film and making personnel decisions.)
Anyway, Greenberg was pressed on the subject of Brown living with Brady and getting rides from him to practice. Greenberg responded by joking that he’s been trying to get himself and his kids invited to live with Brady but it hasn’t worked out.
Then Greenberg got more serious.
“I know that Tom has taken a big interest in making sure that A.B. has the right support system around him,” he said. “I’m not 100 percent sure about the living arrangement, but I know that Tom is definitely taking a big interest in making sure he’s got the right people around him and it’s the right situation.”
Greenberg later re-emphasized twice that the Bucs having a strong “support system” for Brown, which of course makes Joe wonder why a 32-year-old allegedly changed man needs a support system to play football for a few months. But that’s a story for another day.
Pressed for “the truth” on whether Brady made the deal for Brown happen, Greenberg said the Brown decision, “to me,” was a collaborative effort between Jason Licht and Bucco Bruce Arians. Greenberg said that’s how calls are made at One Buc Palace and “those two have by far have the best head coach/GM relationship that I’ve been around, which is special, and I think a big reason for our success.”
Greenberg characterized the Brown decision as “an ongoing conversation.”
On Brown sitting down to sign his contract, Greenberg said, “He couldn’t have been more professional. He was excited. He was like, you know, a kid signing his first contract. Excited and ready to go. It was a pleasant experience. It was quick, easy, he was on his way.”
November 2nd, 2020 at 10:59 am
Honestly …his deal is around 1 mil
If he hits every target / escalator then we are likely in the super bowl and then he gets 2.5 mil
He has short leash
Sounds like ok to me
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:00 am
The absolute RISK to the team chemistry is not worth it. AB is a jerk (I know, “but he’s OUR jerk”), accused rapist, and we can only imagine what ME and CG are really thinking…..
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:03 am
I think a reasonable to think that AB has seen the error of his ways. He’s paid a big price for being an idiot thus far but it would be a great story, and great for him as a person, to get his life together. Apparently that’s a far-fetched idea.
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:08 am
Maybe we will get one of the good runs of Antonio Brown. Because I certainly do believe that he will relapse at some point – but why does it have to be within this next few months.
Remember Josh Hamilton who played for the Rays and many other baseball teams. He certainly has been a mess in his life. Drug/alcohol abuse throughout his career that also lead to abuse to his loved ones.
He also had periods when he was one of the top 5 players in baseball.
When he had his greatest success in baseball is also when he had the best support system for him. He had someone that was around him all the time in the off hours.
I do not say this will definitely work, But there has to be some potential for this to work for 6 months.
So Josh Hamilton was MVP when he was 29 and 5th in MVP at 31. I will take AB looking like a top 20 player at this point with a great support system. Hope you will too.
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:10 am
AB may not be a great person but he’s reportedly a great teammate.
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:13 am
We’re talking about the same guy who quit on two of his last three teams, one of which needed him in a win-or-go-home game?
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:32 am
tom has obviously stuck his neck out for AB….no way in h#ll AB disrespects the GOAT by spitting in his face and ruining his chance to get another ring…
GO BUCS!!!!
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:37 am
Think of living with Brady as a personal AA support group without the first A.
Humans are flawed, and each individual has to deal with their demons in their own way.
If AB is sincere about turning his life around, I’m all-in for whatever is necessary for a positive, permanent outcome.
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:43 am
I’m just hoping this whole thing with AB doesn’t alienate our original star receiver, Mr. Evans.
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:43 am
“which of course makes Joe wonder why a 32-year-old allegedly changed man needs a support system to play football for a few months”.
You don’t take a reformed heroin addict and put him back in the streets in the same situation. Just like you don’t drop an alcoholic off at the bar fresh out of AA and let him make his own decisions. (even though i have seen AA meetings in the bar to cope with the social pressure or desire to have a drink, but there was a mentor or coach there.)
Basically you don’t want anyone who struggles with making bad decisions when hanging out with the wrong crowd and let him go back to hanging around with the wrong situations or crowd. Anyone who is trying to straighten out their life needs a support system of people and a place to stay with that support system if you can, it’s not rocket surgery Joe.
Tom understands this and shows the character of someone who cares personally about his teammates.
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:53 am
I guess Joe hasn’t negatively influenced the pool enough yet to conduct an AB pool.
November 2nd, 2020 at 11:58 am
Sounds like a page out of the Patriot’s playbook. The Pats often rehabilitated malcontent stars. It was always a mystery how they routinely pulled this off. Proactively creating a positive environment may be the formula. Brady may be challenging Licht for GM of the Year.
November 2nd, 2020 at 12:08 pm
JOE lets see how he acts when he is a buc, lord knows you were ok with JW when he was a buc, Americas QB.. LOL.. JW did his off field BS when he was a buc and you always stuck up for him… maybe AB will show the world a person can change for the better, well anyways we shall see..
November 2nd, 2020 at 12:09 pm
“SUPPORT SYSTEM AROUND AB”??? Support system around ONE player? Give me a fracking break!!! The players ARE the supports for the TEAM.
November 2nd, 2020 at 12:31 pm
Joe what’s the matter with having a support system people need it in everyday life. And for many different reasons addiction and the like I don’t get the hate. I have no problem with your article in whole. Just some of your smart mouth opinions.
Joe’s not writing about everyday life. Joe’s writing about the Bucs being a dozen games from a Super Bowl. If the guy needs help, then help him!! It doesn’t have to be in the form of bringing him to the Bucs. If he needs help here over and above the systems already in place for all players, then that’s a red flag. It’s not like Brown is a recovering addict. –Joe
November 2nd, 2020 at 12:33 pm
It’s funny that the Bucs bring in all these weapons but no backup QB.
Don’t want to upset Brady
November 2nd, 2020 at 1:11 pm
“It’s funny that the Bucs bring in all these weapons but no backup QB.
Don’t want to upset Brady”
Awww look at the little winstoneer . Still making dumb comments. Who should we go get that will never see the field anyways?
November 2nd, 2020 at 2:02 pm
What Cobra said. Let’s see how AB works out. Again it takes some folks longer than others to mature and sadly I’m speaking from experience. I hope it works out for AB not just for this year…even next when his salary will dictate another team. Everybody loves a feel good story and redemption.
Meanwhile in the year of racial unrest could we take one timeout. AB living with Brady is a great story!
As an old dude I’ve led the life of white privilege but I’m well aware of it. But there have been two areas in my life where I saw racism vanish…not always but most of the time.
One was in combat…nobody cares about the color of the guy who has your back…LITERALLY.
The other in sports. Tom Brady looks at AB as a great receiver who can help him win…AB looks at Brady as a QB who can get him the ball. Neither of them cares if the other is pink or purple…just that they can BALL BIGTIME!
If it goes beyond that…great. There are some potential stories brewing big time for the media in the playoffs.
November 2nd, 2020 at 2:26 pm
Let he who is without sin cast the 1st stone. Hello
November 2nd, 2020 at 7:47 pm
Mental illness is a bitch! Look at Johnny football! Out of the league! No support from him. Look at the dude who played against the Bucs in their Superbowl win. That dude got shot three times by the police on the day before the Superbowl. Telling you, if Tommy is serious, and he is, it’s about the person who just so happens to be a player, a really really good one. Hope it all works out for him and the Bucs! We only got a glimpse of what it could’ve been in New England.
November 3rd, 2020 at 12:55 am
stpetebucsfan Says:
“As an old dude I’ve led the life of white privilege but I’m well aware of it.”
.
.
This is what we refer to as a willing slave. Please just go back inside, and wear your mask.