Tom Brady’s QB Coach Talks “Contagious” Confidence & Team Shock
February 2nd, 2022
Bucs QB Coach Clyde Christensen opens up.
It was a sad day at One Buc Palace for Tom Brady’s close friend and quarterback coach Clyde Christensen, who sounded a lot like a guy surprised by Brady’s retirement.
“I’m a little bit depressed and we’re kind of grieving down here,” Christensen told CBS Sports Radio.
“I’m trying hard to be happy [for Tom Brady] but I’m too selfish to be happy. I was really hoping we’d get a couple more years out of him. He’s playing so well that, you know, I’m too selfish to be too happy for him, but I’m working at it. I’m trying hard.
“It’s still hard to get over not still playing in the playoffs. … One thing about being around Tom Brady, you just kind of feel like everything’s going to work out, you’re going to be in the Super Bowl and you’re going to win the Super Bowl every year. That’s one of the thing that’s contagious about him. I think we’re all still in shock that we’re sitting at home and watching these guys play.”
So did Christensen know Brady was quitting? Did he believe the media reports over the weekend?
“I kind of thought it was more of a 50-50 proposition,” Christensen said, noting he learned of the retirement from Brady when he FaceTimed with Brady on Tuesday morning. He said Brady was “vacuuming the living room” during the call and seemed at peace.
Christensen spoke as if he expected Brady to play in 2022, in part because of how well he was performing — and improving.
Yes, improving.
“I think he was at the top of his game,” Christensen said. “I was hoping we’d sneak another year or two out of him.
“I got a chance to watch him every day, and I actually think he is getting better because he’s more efficient with everything that he does. Obviously, you know, it’s his 22nd time around seeing all the [film] in the league. So he’s seen everything. So I do thing the efficiency with which he’s playing — physically, mentally and emotionally — I think he’s improving. So I didn’t see any end in sight. I don’t think any of this [retirement] is any question about whether he could have [kept playing]. … He’s throwing the ball at an elite level. … I could see him playing another two to five years. Easily.”
It was interesting to hear Christensen speak of Brady’s playing career in the present tense, as if he hadn’t just retired. And Christensen did not rule out Brady getting itch to play again and acting on it.
As for the 2021 Bucs falling short in their quest to repeat as Super Bowl champs, the X-factor was injuries, per Christensen, He said he believes if Chris Godwin and Rob Gronkowski had stayed healthy, “and A.B.’s thing turned out differently” that the Bucs would have been unstoppable.
February 2nd, 2022 at 12:20 am
Clyde for OC
February 2nd, 2022 at 12:40 am
I just hope that if Brady comes back he comes back to the Bucs. One could dream. I think Licht needs to do his best to keep the roster together, bring in a vet because something tells me Brady comes back to the Bucs if we have a decent roster. What do we have to lose? Go Bucs!
February 2nd, 2022 at 12:47 am
Completely agree with him, especially the part about injuries. He mentioned the injuries on offense but the injuries to the defensive back field and JPP & LVD were huge. They affected White and JPP affected the entire pass rush which filters to the DBs. As much as some people aren’t here blast our DB‘s because they are not perfect, I can only imagine how much better they would be if they were healthy and actually playing together most the year.
February 2nd, 2022 at 12:51 am
vacuuming the living room, washing laundry, cooking I do all of these if I want to something from my wife. just like he rest of us men, Tom is planning lol. he’s going to come back next year and win another superbowl I bet. like what MJ said it’s an itch you need to scratch.
February 2nd, 2022 at 12:55 am
Todd Bowles is responsible for the very bad play call leading to the Rams win over the Bucs–Brady couldn’t overcome that. We need better play calling especially on defense–he lost us Tom Brady–be awesome to see Bowles take a job anywhere else.
February 2nd, 2022 at 1:03 am
Its one thing to take a year off in your 30s and then come back. Taking a year off at 44? Unless he stays on his TB12 method and doesn’t change his daily regimen I dont see him being able to just pick right back up after a year off.
February 2nd, 2022 at 1:15 am
Whole heartedly agree ; Clyde for OC
AND send Bowles anywhere…
February 2nd, 2022 at 1:16 am
“And Todd Bowles play calling”
February 2nd, 2022 at 2:39 am
Two words.
Todd’s Bowels
February 2nd, 2022 at 2:43 am
The defense got caught on their heels. They weren’t even set. Don’t blame Bowles for bad execution.
February 2nd, 2022 at 2:53 am
Save The Licht House….hold on till Brady gets up off the couch in November?
February 2nd, 2022 at 3:07 am
remember jacob eason out of washington…
currently backing up russell chilson…
he’s so down on the depth chart i thought he was out of the league
February 2nd, 2022 at 3:09 am
eason = grasping at straws
February 2nd, 2022 at 4:07 am
If there were even a chance that circumstances were right for Brady to continue, he would. We will never know all of the calculations and factors he had to weigh.
But in terms of pure football, Clyde is right. Brady is intact, and was playing on a high level and it is deeply sad that he still has lots of football left in him.
Perhaps we will find out in the coming days and months what really made it impossible for him to simply continue. It certainly isn’t a loss of skill.
February 2nd, 2022 at 5:14 am
What if BA chooses to retire to the GA lake house? The BL becomes HC, and he reaches out to AB to mend fences and resign him. CC would be the OC. Would TB then have a change in heart and come back out of retirement? BA’s old school discipline was valid in the 80s, 90s, maybe early 2000s, but not nowadays, especially with a HOF talent like AB. The talent drop off from AB was too great! His presence would have been the difference in beating the Rams. Just a thought.
February 2nd, 2022 at 5:40 am
Real Talk
February 2nd, 2022 at 6:09 am
“BA’s old school discipline”? Do you guys listen to yourselves at all?!
Funny how it was good enough last year. And defending AB is just ridiculous.
BA is one of the reasons Tom even considered coming here. Stop the nonsense!
Ya’ll are mad because a 44 year old, 22 year vet QB decided to retire. Think about that for a moment.
February 2nd, 2022 at 6:39 am
Vacuuming the living room?! Maybe if the Bucs hire Giselle as the next Bucs GM…
February 2nd, 2022 at 6:57 am
Bucsfanman. BA is a fraud now days he’s not trying to coach !! He just wants to be called the head coach if the bucs can at least get to the playoffs!! Is this the team where young quarterbacks careers come and die like I posted before ?? No more riding the coat tail of another teams quarterback and trying to make them a all time bucs player!! Where is all the trash talking now about how BA a quarterback guru and how he developed all these quarterbacks? I told yall lol 😆 🤣!!
February 2nd, 2022 at 7:00 am
I’m glad BA ran that punk off. Maybe it cost us a SB, maybe not. When a HC has to cater to criminals like AB, the NFL is done.
February 2nd, 2022 at 7:44 am
Oneilbucyall, finally something we agree on. Yes Bowles play call sent him packing but BA is just as if not more responsible. Brady is the comeback kid and he knows how much a team has to unite and how hard they have to play to tie that game and to have your coaching staff kick you in the balls like they did was the last straw. Unprepared and lack of dedication by the coaches. They’re dead to him.
February 2nd, 2022 at 8:04 am
Posters coming out of the woodwork after a year of literal silence…..trashing BA…..I can understand it from those who always trashed BA.
What I don’t understand is anyone supporting AB & his behavior over any HC. He was given every opportunity and publicly made a fool out of himself. Good riddance….thanks for the help with the SB…..but you are one of many who helped us win.
February 2nd, 2022 at 8:21 am
Oneilaints can you find someone to develop you a brain?
February 2nd, 2022 at 8:27 am
This is how stupid and hateful oneilaints and other trolls are because of jameis winston. Facts don’t matter to them. Because the facts are BA and his staff developed numerous players on this team. The same players oneilaints was trashing in the name of winston. The same coaches oneilaints was trashing in the name of winston. Ba should’ve been in the playoffs his first year here 2019 if it wasn’t for winston facts!!!! Oneilaints F your feelings 🤡!
February 2nd, 2022 at 8:30 am
Oneilaints was trashing this oline in the name of winston lol. The cut the sacks in more than half as soon as he was gone facts! I know I know they changed the plays lol give me a Break. The facts are the Bucs remained the most aggressive team in the nfl Brady’s two years here! I give you the facts oneilaints gives you gibberish facts!
February 2nd, 2022 at 8:33 am
Hey joes now that Brady is gone can you guys do I deep dive on all the records he broke? Do QB records and team records this dude broke td records in in first three games with the Bucs his impact was immediate.
February 2nd, 2022 at 8:53 am
Isn’t it kind of disrespectful to run the vacuum during a FaceTime call? 🤣
February 2nd, 2022 at 9:30 am
Tom was sick of the tb12 method and wants to live and eat like normal human beings
February 2nd, 2022 at 9:39 am
All these coaches sound scared now that they’ll have to earn their money. pretty easy looking like a smart guy when Brady is your QB. let’s hope the work you’ve done with Trask pays off Clyde.
February 2nd, 2022 at 11:05 am
5% chance we get to late spring and Brady has that itch.
February 2nd, 2022 at 11:31 am
We just were a shell of last years team
February 2nd, 2022 at 12:49 pm
Very candid comments from Clyde here. HE knows what we are facing next year. As for Winston, I don’t think he comes back here. HE needs another coach other than Arians. HE’s been there done that. Just hope we get a vet QB who gives us some kind of chance.
February 2nd, 2022 at 1:11 pm
My own view is that Donavan Smith’s poor protection on Brady’s blind side was key to the loss. It contributed to too many hits and sacks leading Giselle to out her foot down and say enough, no mas.
February 2nd, 2022 at 10:45 pm
Youngcookie . I have said that I don’t even want Jamies back on the team like I’ve seen so many people asking for him now. Again BA is supposed to be the quarterback whisper remember ? Cookie BA doesn’t coach defense cookie and Brady is gone and every thing you are saying don’t mean nothing and it really never did lol 😆 😂!! Now I am to see BA the quarterback wishper is what you call him develop a quarterback something he’s never done and now he’s looking for another veteran quarterback so he doesn’t have to coach cookie. And as far as being a fan have you even been to a bucs game before oreo??
February 2nd, 2022 at 11:38 pm
In the end we could have easily have been in the super bowl.
Who was the reporter that wound up AB?