The Allure Of Tom Brady
December 22nd, 2021
Player magnet.
For once, the Bucs signed a big-name free agent that wasn’t about Tom Brady serving as a proxy for Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
There are all sorts of big-name free agents and retired dudes that came to the Bucs with Brady directly involved. Brady coaxed the Bucs into trading for foot-rubbing film guru Rob Gronkowski. Brady hounded the Bucs to sign furniture-tossing, bicycle-throwing, fake-V-card-flashing Antonio Brown. Brady also steered the Bucs to sign Playoff Lenny.
However, Brady did not directly recruit Le’Veon Bell.
The Bucs signed the veteran running back yesterday after Playoff Lenny was hurt Sunday, coaches said Ronald Jones was gassed (in mid-December!) and Ke’Shawn Vaughn looked like he belonged on the Tampa Bay Bandits.
As the saying goes, Brady’s reputation preceded him. In his first appearance before the local pen and mic club, Bell said the chance to play with Brady was a no-brainer.
“When I first got the call, I was actually working out, so I actually didn’t even answer at first,” Bell said about Licht trying to reach him Monday. “Then my agent called me and told me what happened.
“It was just a great opportunity for me, obviously, to come here and play with a seven-time Super Bowl champ [and] play with my other former teammate (Antonio Brown).
“I looked at it as a great opportunity and I was just excited when I got the call. It was hard to turn it down.”
Sure it was.
Bell gets to play on a team that hopes to defend its Super Bowl crown. And besides, Bell was seriously thinking of switching careers.
This is the power of Brady. Rings follow him and players know it. And while Bell once once was the best dual-threat running back in the league and is a shell of his former self, why not take one more stab at a Super Bowl ring with a guy that just collects them?
December 22nd, 2021 at 6:33 pm
When the going gets tough, the tough gets going. Let’s Gooooo Bucs!!!
December 22nd, 2021 at 6:51 pm
this guy is a shell of himself.. if he can pass protect on third down great.. beyond that I dont expect anything else.
December 22nd, 2021 at 7:06 pm
What puzzles me is it’s NOT like the guy had been carrying the rock 300 times a year since the season he took off. He hasn’t played much, hasn’t blown a knee out… Just grew a few years older. I’m truly perplexed as to what happened to him. Anyhow, he should make a good 3rd down back
December 22nd, 2021 at 7:26 pm
Playoff Lenny rediscovered himself in this offense, I think wouldn’t be surprised to see Bell do the same. Very similar situation to Pittsburgh. Stacked line and a QB who will use him in the passing game.
December 22nd, 2021 at 7:38 pm
For a fan watching potential reclamation projects coming onto our teams for “emergency” support is a lot of fun, whether TB especially requested them or not!
Go Bucs!
December 22nd, 2021 at 7:58 pm
I tell ya the look on Gronk’s face at end of game indicated use of voodoo doll. The only thing to do is get a gris-gris bag to ward off evil. Where do you get it why downtown new orleans
December 22nd, 2021 at 8:17 pm
After 45 seasons, most of which were over by Halloween, It’s so sweet to see veteran players WANTING to play for the Bucs. Thank you Tom, thank you Jason, thank you Bruce, and thank you Glazer family!
Let’s Go Bucs, I’m here waiting for you to come to SoCal for another SB victory!
December 22nd, 2021 at 8:23 pm
I feel you there Calbucsfan
December 22nd, 2021 at 9:13 pm
I’m sure he’d be good again if he gets back in the flow
December 22nd, 2021 at 9:33 pm
Bell brings something ROJO and Vaughn do not…besides the fact that he’s a better runner…lmao…he’s a terrific pass catcher. You can even line him up wide and go empty backfield.
One year Bell caught 83 passes with an average of over ten yards per catch!!!
The Steelers targeted him a little over 100 times in his glory years and he caught more than 80 passes those three seasons.
Leveon Bell at 90% of his prime self is still better out of the backfield than most other NFL RB’s. He could be a god send with CG out and ME13 barely hanging on.
December 22nd, 2021 at 10:14 pm
Uh, Le’Veon Bell looked awful this year, don’t try to pin this signing on Brady.
I don’t know why the Bucs would call Bell, his tape makes it look like he was running in sand on the beach, he looked washed up to my eye. Hopefully Licht has some amazing insight and will look like a genius, but Bell has look sluggish and isn’t a good locker room guy either, even bashing Reid on his way out, a coach that all the players claim they love.
Maybe that is where Licht is smart and has a ton of confidence and is already scouting the Super Bowl, he’s picking Bell’s brain about the Chiefs.
However the team still has to make the playoffs, first, and seemingly every day we’re losing new starters.
December 22nd, 2021 at 10:32 pm
what a joke, washed up waste of a plane ticket
December 22nd, 2021 at 11:16 pm
thanks alot of information
December 23rd, 2021 at 7:37 am
How long have the Bucs searched for a solid three down back? Since the Pleistocene era, or so it seems. Save for Playoff Lenny our prayers have risen no further than the ceiling. If Jason Licht can find a hidden gem like Ali Marpet from Division III Humbolt, then surely he can find us a stud runner that stays on the field. Imagine Field Marshall Brady attacking defences without having to pause his assult while a third down specialist trots in from the sideline. Hurry up suddenly has teeth when defences can’t substitute. Come on Jason, git ‘er done. And find us another Antoine Winefield Jr while you’er at it.
Go Bucs!
December 23rd, 2021 at 7:58 am
When he screwed himself out of Pittsburgh he was never a featured back anywhere. He went to the Jets and the whole team was horrible (coached by um, um, Bowles), then he went to KC as a back up to Williams and really never got the ball, same with Baltimore. Don’t know why but I guess we’ll find out. Could be as simple as a guy that played every snap needed more snaps to get going. He is another guy with a SB ring.
December 23rd, 2021 at 8:37 am
Bell is 29….will be interesting to see how much burst he has left. Next year I think we make a play for Marlon Mack with Indy. A good all around back, won’t be expensive and has had some solid success as a starter.
December 23rd, 2021 at 9:04 am
It would be great to get Marlon Mack! He would be back at home, since he played for USF.
I like the Leveon Bell signing. If he has anything left, he could really help us.
I don’t know what happened to him once he left Pittsburgh, because he was once the Terror of the NFL.
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:38 am
Please tell me why we’re keeping RoJo and Vaughan, if they can’t backup LF? Ant believe they had to pick up a player that’s been cut three time in the last year and a half.!
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:40 am
What’s going to happen when. Bell complains he’s has too many touch’s for what they paying him?
December 23rd, 2021 at 12:16 pm
JimBuc2
Marpet was from Hobart and Cappa was from Humbolt. Great picks from small schools.
December 23rd, 2021 at 5:11 pm
Another Shady McCoy
December 24th, 2021 at 6:31 am
OrlandoBuc, thanks. I stand corrected on the minor school name detail. I submit my assertion is still stands; I really don’t care which school a prospect hails from. Sign a high school sophmore if he has the wheels and ability, but please get someone who can stay in all three downs. Playoff Lenny is that guy now; RoJo seems guns-shy the way he ducks to the sideline. School name notwithstanding, my point remains valid.
Go Bucs!