Stay Tuned
January 25th, 2022
Tied at the hip?
As Bucs fans sit on the edge of their seats waiting for Tom Brady to decide if he’s had enough of football or if he wants to take one more run at a Super Bowl, presumably with the Bucs, another future Hall of Famer is likely waiting for the same answer.
That would be foot-rubbing tight end Rob Gronkowski. Joe thinks it is a given Brady and Gronk are a package deal. Though yesterday in his media availability Gronk said he would consider playing with another quarterback, let’s be clear: Gronk has never played in the NFL without Brady as his quarterback.
When the Belicheats tried to trade him to Detroit, Gronk threatened retirement if the trade went through. It’s pretty clear to Joe that Gronk doesn’t want anyone else throwing him the football full-time.
So last night Gronk twittered out what sure seemed like a farewell to arms tweet, though at the very end did not shut the door on one more season.
Year 11 in the books 📚 What a ride it’s been. Grateful to the Bucs for giving me an opportunity to play another year. To my teammates, thank you for giving everything you had. The sweat we shed & memories made will never be forgotten. Thanks to the #Krewe too 🏴☠️
Year 12??? 👀
— Rob Gronkowski (@RobGronkowski) January 25, 2022
If not for the last line, Joe would have interpreted this as a retirement tweet.
Joe has a strong hunch that Gronk is like the rest of us: Waiting to see what Brady does.
January 25th, 2022 at 12:17 am
the more suspense they create, the more triumphant the return…
tom is probably sitting in his basement staring a huge vlack and white blow up picture of a shirtless AB taped to his wall, holding up his stupid sign as he exits the jets game…
and the background basement noise is the clash song “should i stay or should i go” on a loop…
oh yeah, and he’s nursing an avocado tequila on the rocks and occasionally rubs his scabbing lip
January 25th, 2022 at 12:19 am
typo:
*starring at a huge black and white blow up picture*
January 25th, 2022 at 12:23 am
Gronk breaking his ribs this season also didn’t help his chances of coming back. Man has been riddled with injuries his whole career but somehow has come back from every single one of them.
Only so much tread on those tires and who knows the next injury could be worse.
Personally, I hope Gronk comes back. Love his energy and frankly OJ is a huge bust and Brate is a good compliment but not TE1.
January 25th, 2022 at 12:33 am
Brady isn’t coming back hes caving in to giselle and becoming a family man
January 25th, 2022 at 12:42 am
Chris Carter made an interesting comment on good morning football this morning. In claiming he thought for sure that Brady was coming back, he dispelled what he called a myth of football players retiring to spend more time with their wife and kids. He said that the only reason men stop playing football is because they can’t do it anymore. And of course they have the entire off-season to spend unbridled time with their wife and kids. Now I’m sure there are exceptions. Tom, with his well-known competitiveness, along with the fact that he’s always said he wanted to play till he was 45 minimum, tells me that it’s likely he gives it another go. But we shall see.
January 25th, 2022 at 1:56 am
Man just give me one more year of Brady as a Buc. Give us one more Super Bowl where fans can go to the game to be a part of the victory. Go Bucs! We need you Tom!
January 25th, 2022 at 1:57 am
Adam,
Pretty sure Brady doesn’t have a basement in his waterfront home.
January 25th, 2022 at 2:03 am
The forever greats–Brady, Federer, Jordan, Ali, etc–simply love the game because nothing makes them happier than doing it at the highest level, even if there is nothing left to prove, and they will go as long as their bodies allow it. Nothing, not even their personal and family lives, tear them away from it.
It isn’t even just winning. You’d think leaving while on top, on the night of a SB win, would seal it. Do a Jim Brown or Bjorn Borg and leave while pristine, but no. It’s about the game.
Tom Brady loves playing. The question is, does he still love it enough? Does the team allow him to do what he wants to do?
January 25th, 2022 at 2:32 am
I just have a feeling that BA would be fine with Brady and Gronk leaving. He has been overshadowed by Brady and Brady has gotten all the credit for the Bucs success. I wonder if he wants to run the show himself with his QB Gabbert? Of course we would become instant losers of the division to the Stainks in that case. I sure hope Brady wants to give it another go.
January 25th, 2022 at 2:41 am
My gut says they’ll both go one more year for last call. It’s gonna have to be all in. Organization is committed to whatever Brady wants to do. Signings and draft even if it’s for one year. Cap will be higher so we can afford a few luxuries along w some resignings. I think you’ll see a lot in deals incentive based and a lot multi year contracts that are basically a series of one year contacts.
January 25th, 2022 at 2:54 am
I thought we would get two years from Brady. I hope I’m wrong.
January 25th, 2022 at 3:17 am
I don’t disagree Grover. I definitely think Bruce has an ego and shoot. I wouldn’t want it any other way. With that said, let’s hope Tom wants one more crack at it. I think BA and TBs relationship is far stronger than the common folk think. I can’t even wager a guess on TBs thoughts. I’ll just say that I obviously hope he comes back for 1 more. It could happen.
January 25th, 2022 at 3:58 am
Doosh –
he’s in your basement…! 🙂
and you’re the dj….playing the clash, and you’re serving him up drinks to loosen up his thought process, while he rubs his puffy lip…
i think he smells mold tho and it’s making that fat lip itchy 🙂
January 25th, 2022 at 4:00 am
he’s coming back, he’s coming back…
he will win the superbowl next year and he rides off into the sunset…
it’s all pre-written in chapter 57 of goodell’s book
January 25th, 2022 at 4:05 am
What I saw Sunday was what a 44-year old NFL QB looks like when his team isn’t firing on all cylinders. Primarily (but not totally) because of injuries, we couldn’t adequately protect him and we couldn’t surround him with the weapons he needs to be most effective.
Tom Brady’s 30-for-54 passing performance, plus 3 sacks, meant that he threw for barely 50% completion rate for the game. Admittedly several of his passes were dropped, but quite a few of his passes weren’t close to being on target. That’s not the typical GOAT performance.
He led a valiant comeback in the 2nd half (3 TDs & 1 FG) to tie the game with less than 1 minute left, but even that wasn’t the typical GOAT performance. TB12 was 10-for-22 (45%) in the 1st half, and 20-for-32 (63%) in the 2nd half. Seemed like even in the 2nd half, Brady lacked the surgical precision that he’s so well known for. If not for all Rams’ 2nd half fumbles & the resultant short fields, it wouldn’t have been much of a game.
Gut feeling is that that game more than any other provided him a glimpse of the future if he opts to play one more year. And I doubt that he liked what he saw. None of us know for sure at this point obviously whether he’ll return or not. Personally I think he’ll retire. And so will Gronk.
January 25th, 2022 at 5:04 am
he is waiting for bucs to reload. the same roster won’t cut it vs the rams. if bucs want him back they got to get a few good pieces then hell restructure his contract. bring gronk and lenny back. there’s no reason for him to sign with another team. it’s bucs or retire
January 25th, 2022 at 5:23 am
Defense Rules,
Mostly agreed with your assessment.
However, 44 year old was trying to pass under extreme pressure. Brady has seen and experienced all through his 22 year career. He tried to tough it out in his earlier years to a fault. Now, he is trying to navigate his team as efficiently as possible for the “WIN” however it takes. Those completion rate to him at this stage is meaningless to him.
Yeah, it could be an objective tool to judge his rather (statistically) poor performance on Sunday. However, every throw has its context (i.e. they are not all equal). For example, his last strike to Evans for long TD just under 4 minute mark should count more than other pass attempts because he is trying to mount an improbable comeback in his mind. That is how he competes. Make believe…
Brady is all about championship. If he doesn’t believe in his heart of heart that he is no longer capable of delivering it, he will call it quit. But he did display that championship grit on Sunday. Can you sustain that next year… That is 25 million dollar question.
Go Bucs.
January 25th, 2022 at 7:05 am
Defense Rules – I don’t think it has to do with Tom’s age. Great pass rush against weaker OL and limited weapons doesn’t work well for pocket passers. 24 year old or 44 year old. Does not matter. Rams did exactly that to TB12 in the lowest scoring SB a few years ago.
With the injuries the OL was just not good enough against the WRs to get open. Put in Godwin in the equation and the result is almost certainly different.
January 25th, 2022 at 8:16 am
Just my personal opinion but I don’t think Brady comes back.
January 25th, 2022 at 8:19 am
Depending on how 49ers do this weekend will set the stage. Shanahan doesn’t want Garapolo and if any of you watched the GB game you know why. Many believe Brady will ask to be released from the Bucs and sign a one year contract with San Francisco. Gronk will follow on a home town discount and finish their career together. Kittle, Gronk, Samuel and that D. TB12 sets up Trey Lance, SB #8 then rides off in the sunset and Gronk retires to.
January 25th, 2022 at 8:41 am
Brady is better off on Bucs than Niners and George Kittle isn’t going to play second fiddle to Gronk. The only thing that would tie Brady to the Niners is he is from the region.
If the Bucs reload with youth and some veteran talent and depth on both sides of the lines, especially offensive line. Vs Rams and Saints this offensive line did not hold up. Wirfs played in both Saints game and Brady was pressured all game.
They have to put emphasis on pass protection if you are throwing the ball 50 times a game. If Brady had the kind of protection Stafford had he would be all in on coming back next year. If the Bucs can’t get better pass blocking then Brady’s decision whether or not to play isn’t clear. Go out and draft offensive linemen and defensive linemen and buy 2 or 3 free agents. JPP, Howard, Brate, Suh and Barrett are $50,000,000 in cap money. None of them are top 10 players in their positions. The only players on the team who played like top 10 players in their positions- Brady, Wirfs, Godwin, Jensen, Evans and Gronk. Not a single Buc defensive player was a top 10 player in the league.
January 25th, 2022 at 8:44 am
I don’t have anything to say ….
January 25th, 2022 at 8:53 am
Gronk will play second fiddle to Kittle.
January 25th, 2022 at 8:57 am
Went back and watched the game. D Smith let us down and looked horrible in the game. Of course Wells looked horrible as well but that’s kind of what we expected. Brady was under pressure the entire game and yet had some impressive throws while maneuvering the pocket. If we had Godwin and Wirfs in the game I think we would have won. Brady, Gronk, and Fournette must be brought back. We need a fresh young DE, depth at OL and WR, draft a corner, and bring in a vet corner. Go Bucs let’s get 1 more baby!
January 25th, 2022 at 9:19 am
as much as it pains me to even think…
To quote one Coll Troutman…. Its over Jonny….. its over
January 25th, 2022 at 9:28 am
You would think both Gronk, and Tom would want to retire togther so they can get in the HOF together. Gronk’s going to do what Tom does.
January 25th, 2022 at 9:46 am
Go Bucs One More Time … Excellent perspective; thanks. Agree with your analysis, and especially “‘Brady is all about championship. If he doesn’t believe in his heart of heart that he is no longer capable of delivering it, he will call it quit.’
One thing I didn’t realize while watching the game is that, more than any other game in recent memory, it was truly ‘mano-a-mano, but eleven-on-eleven’. BOTH teams had gone all-in purchasing their starting lineups to win the Super Bowl this year, and only one was gonna survive Sunday. Rams came out HOT, knowing that they could get up on us early. And that’s exactly what they did, same as the 1st game they played us earlier in the year (they got up 21-7 in that game in the first 31 mins). Sunday they were up 20-3 by the end of the first 30 mins.
But then all he11 broke loose & they had to hang on for dear life, as both the Rams’ offense AND defense struggled for most of the 2nd half. FOUR fumbles in that 2nd half were very uncharacteristic of the Rams, and that helped us big-time get back into the game.
I couldn’t figure out why they struggled until this morning when I looked at the Drives Summary and the Snaps Summary. BOTH teams had 72 plays. BOTH teams had 15 drives (most we’ve had all season BTW). Rams won the TOP (34-26 mins) because they ran it a LOT more (30 rushes to 14 rushes), but we decisively won the Turnover Battle (4-2). And that’s what allowed us to claw back into it.
But it’s the Snap Counts that are remarkable to me. Rams’ offense had 7 starters who played 100% of the snaps; 3 more who played 90-97%; plus 1 more who played 81%. Their offense only used 4 other guys in the game, and they only provided 29 total offensive snaps. IOW, their offensive starters virtually never came off the field. By the middle of the 3rd qtr, they were pooped, and it showed.
Rams’ defense was just about the same situation. They had 4 guys play 100% of the defensive snaps; 4 more guys play 85%-97%; and 2 guys play 75%-80%. They also had a handful (5 guys) who filled in the rest of the snaps on defense (74 total snaps). Pretty obvious that they were also pooped by partway through the 3rd qtr. BOTH their offense and their defense used almost none of their depth.
And the Bucs did almost exactly the same thing in terms of personnel, except that we ran a lot more pass plays on offense than they did and we did rotate our DLine guys a bit more (Vea only got 34 snaps for instance (47%) while Suh got 48 snaps (67%) and JPP got 62 snaps (86%).
In any event, interesting use of personnel by both teams. On looking back at the Rams’ year, if they start HOT, they win (were 10-1 when leading at the half). I’m convinced that’s their gameplan, and they’re very good at it. We fell into their trap twice this year. My bet is now that the 49ers won’t. They have the depth on defense that the Rams don’t have.
January 25th, 2022 at 3:45 pm
Welcome to the next decade of depression.
January 25th, 2022 at 3:45 pm
I am sad.