Tom Brady And “The End” No Big Shock
June 28th, 2021
Stating the obvious.
While many are trying to figure out what team and quarterback park-violating, home-invading, NFLPA-ignoring, down-forgetting, handshake-stiffing, jet-ski-losing, biscuit-baking, tequila-shooting, smartphone-phobic, waffle-grilling, trophy-throwing, roller-coaster-scared, numbers-rules-peeved, Bucs-Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady was referring to when he recoiled in shock, barking “You’re going to stick with that motherf@cker?”
Something else Brady said on HBO caught Joe’s attention.
And it also piqued the interest of the creator, curator and overall guru of “Pro Football Talk,” the great Mike Florio.
Brady said his career is nearing an end. Florio, in so many words, said, “No s(p)it!”
So, yes, it’s indeed coming to the end. It would be much more significant if he didn’t say that.
That said, his arm won’t significantly weaken for years to come. The question is whether he’ll still be able to avoid contact with his legs. He firmly has entered (wisely) a duck-and-cover portion of his career, getting rid of the ball quickly (sometimes too quickly) in order to avoid taking a big hit. The defensive players chasing him around are bigger, stronger, faster, and a lot younger.
Father Time remains undefeated for a reason. Father Tom has defied him longer than anyone else. However long it lasts, it surely can’t last a whole lot longer.
And this is where that damn good Bucs offensive line comes into play. That line is among the best in the NFL.
If they stay healthy, you have to figure Tristan Wirfs, in his second year, will improve. And if Donovan Smith continues his postseason performance, he’s a top-five left tackle. That’s right; Joe wrote that.
What better way to keep a senior citizen playing quarterback than to have a brick wall to protect him?
June 28th, 2021 at 8:09 am
Please clarify: From what I have read…..Brady said “he was thinking” that…..so, it’s my impression he never actually said that….or barked it.
June 28th, 2021 at 8:17 am
Another way to minimize Brady’s exposure is a strong running game
June 28th, 2021 at 8:42 am
“I’m sitting there thinking, you’re sticking with that (expletive)?” Brady scoffed. “Are you serious?”
Yes….he did say to the media that he was thinking that but he never actually admitted saying it to the team in question.
June 28th, 2021 at 8:42 am
Enjoy the rapture of having TB12 as our QB. This is his last season IMO
June 28th, 2021 at 9:45 am
I was really surprised that Brady admitted he only says what is in his head 10% of the time and the other 90% is saying what he’s supposed to say. I mean, we all know that’s true but for him to say it out loud? I bet he regrets sharing that, especially when he thinks about his kids seeing it.
June 28th, 2021 at 9:46 am
Donovan Smith a top 5 tackle? He still has too many penalties. Maybe top 10. He has Ali Marpet to thank him. Without him, Smith would not have had the same kind of success as last year.
June 28th, 2021 at 10:01 am
I guess Joe is looking for comments, so I’ll please him. Donovan Smith is not a top 5 tackle.
June 28th, 2021 at 10:18 am
Smith has the ability to be top 5, but will not be considered such until he can dominate AND not give up sacks and penalties.
June 28th, 2021 at 10:25 am
Florio’s site is a good one…and like The Joe’s he’s built a great business from scratch. His bitterness shows early and often when it comes to Brady though as he’s a Vikings fan ( which is no doubt torturous ).
I agree with Florio on the premise that Brady started to show some age in the 2nd half of the NFC Championship. One year at a time from here on out…I’d be happy with two more solid years from Brady to be honest.
June 28th, 2021 at 10:26 am
It’s hard to say when Brady will hang ’em up. It seem sane to project that Brady would last “maybe in another 2 to 3 years” as far back in 2014. He looks good out there, the folks who said he was deteriorating in 2019 simply didn’t understand football. The arm strength was still there, and the mechanics were decent in 2019… actually his mechanics were slightly worse in for most of 2018, but he cleaned things up late in the regular season. That’s Brady, he monitors his performance and always tries to find ways to improve.
He is on the tail end of his career. Enjoy greatness while it lasts.
June 28th, 2021 at 10:37 am
Florio takes shots, but he’s being acerbic for entertainment value. He has to entertain, it keeps the web hits coming. Sims however is a real piece of work, I simply dislike his jaded “been there, done that, I know everything about quarterbacking and Brady is just so-so” attitude. It’s grating.
Today’s FMIA column by Greg Cosell was absolutely on target. Folks praise the ad-lib QBing ability and sheer athleticism of Mahomes, Rodgers, Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson and Russ Wilson as wave of the future. I love QBs who can improvise, all things being equal I’d prefer an athletic QB over a non-athletic QB. But all things are never equal. Being an elite QB is all about making rapid, good decisions with the football and accuracy. That’s where Brady excels.
June 28th, 2021 at 10:44 am
Joe and Ira go round-and-round about this. Joe thinks Brady’s press conferences are a bore because he rarely says anything interesting, so Joe is not inclined to give his press conferences high priority. Ira thinks the opposite as far as importance, though Ira agrees Brady rarely says anything.
Now after Brady revealed that? Joe’s not inclined at all to give Brady’s pressers a high priority. Why waste valuable time quoting, at best, half-truths?
Joe respects his readers more than that.
June 28th, 2021 at 10:48 am
Yup. Just like a running back’s priority is to run (if it was blocking like Mike Lombardi claims, then you’d have a guard line up in the backfield), and a receiver’s priority is to catch, so to it is a quarterback’s main priority is to throw. Get first downs or more important, touchdowns.’
Running quarterbacks are fun to watch but the simple fact is their shelf lives are shorter (hello Cam Newton) and when you need to move the ball 80 yards in less than a minute, you can’t be running around hoping to — as Troy Aikman would say — “make a play.”
June 28th, 2021 at 11:32 am
Noone upped his game last season, more than Donavan Smith.
In the playoffs, he was the most dominate left Tackle Ive seen.
And brother, Ive seen alot.
If he stays near that level- he is the BEST LEFT TACKLE IN THE LEAGUE.
For some reason, Tampa football fans hate left tackles.
You were way wrong about Donald Penn- and even more wrong about Smith.
Same people, regurgitating the same trash they read ia a predraft magazine.
Brady would not have come to Tampa- if we didnt have an elite tackle.
Donovan is more under appreciated than Lavonte David.
Both are elite, and ignored
June 28th, 2021 at 11:32 am
All for a revamp, but Smith was T-1 in penalties and T-7 in sacks allowed. You should find an eraser Joe.
Why is Brady saying he’ll throw it up after two more years a huge shock??? Seemed like that was the plan all along. He might hang it up after this year if we win the Super Bowl. He might be able to play just as well in two more years, but anyone with a brain knows Gisele will not have it. No doubt the zen master of football is grinding his teeth for another ring before he goes out.
June 28th, 2021 at 12:03 pm
Brees still owns two QB Records … Most Passing Yards and Most Completed Passes. TB12 owns the rest.
TB12 will have Most Passing Yards this season.
It will take 2 seasons for completed passes.
We’ll see.
June 28th, 2021 at 12:49 pm
Brady is playing with house money at this point and hes just going to let it ride. I think he plays out the contract for sure, and injury is likely the only aspect to stop him from doing so. He likes playing, and he likes winning-no reason to believe it isnt going to happen for another couple of years. In my Tom Brady retirement fantasy, he wins his 10 SB title at 47 and rides off on a unicorn with Gisele. We all know this cat is going to go out on top like noone ever has before right?
June 28th, 2021 at 1:01 pm
Capt Tim
Penn didn’t take 6 years and two huge contracts to show me what’s he got. Penn signed a SIX year contract for $43 million. Think of that compared to Smith money. Smh. Not to mention Penn was a total psycho and Smith is Fluff soft.
June 28th, 2021 at 4:17 pm
Joe, it’s like Jaws, I miss him, always said. Great QB’s process information quickly, and get the ball out accurately, and on time. He never ever mentioned a QB must be able to run, but now that’s what they want us to buy. Accuracy is also more valuable then arm strength. Brady has always had the best of those qualities, that’s why he’s the best QB to ever play the game. Can’t run a lick, said so himself.
June 28th, 2021 at 4:57 pm
In Joe’s defense he said if can continue his post season performance. Donovan Smith played like a stud in the post season.
June 29th, 2021 at 11:18 am
“I was really surprised that Brady admitted he only says what is in his head 10% of the time and the other 90% is saying what he’s supposed to say.”
I think I’ve pretty much lived my life like this. Sadly for me is said what was in my “head” far too much even though trying to limit it.
Generally speaking in my experience, people who reverse that ratio are horrible teammates/co workers friends or whatever.
Sometimes honesty is demanded…frequently though it’s optional if you’re talking about lies of omission. Why should Brady or anybody feel the need to toss anybody under the bus? More entertaining for sure so I get Joe’s lament but functional or smart?