Speculation Won’t Stop The Glory
March 14th, 2022
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BY IRA KAUFMAN
Tom Brady and Bruce Arians must have patched things up in a hurry.
If you believe some of the reports dropping in the past six weeks, Brady and Arians weren’t on the same book, let alone the same page. There were suggestions of a deep divide between Brady and the franchise he returned to relevance.
Given Sunday’s stunning announcement, Arians has every right to ask: how do you like me now?
Brady’s return to Tampa hasn’t silenced all the skeptics. Scott Pioli, who spent nine years with Brady in New England as a player personnel executive, still isn’t convinced all is well at One Buc Place.
Longtime Patriots executive Scott Pioli is peddling hogwash, writes Ira Kaufman.
“Something wasn’t right when things ended down there,” Pioli said on NFL Network, shortly after Brady announced his return. I’m just not sure if going back to Tampa is going to be the case this year.”
It looks like this narrative isn’t going away. Let’s get one thing straight at this point — if Brady forces a trade to another team, it would be one of the darkest days in Buc history.
Forget about the Bo Jackson fiasco, the 2008 December collapse that led to Jon Gruden’s dismissal or the 4-28 regime of Leeman Bennett … This would be the topper. And guess what, it’s not going to happen.
If Brady truly wants out, his agent would have negotiated a settlement with the Bucs behind closed doors. Tampa Bay would have accommodated his request for a new NFL address, demanding compensation.
That didn’t happen because Brady is eager to go to war in Tampa. Arians and Jason Licht sent out quotes welcoming Brady back. You don’t do that unless you are 100 percent assured that Brady is 100 percent committed to the organization.
Brady’s return did not come as a shock to Arians, Licht or the Glazers. There had been discussions of a potential return for a while. Ensuring Chris Godwin’s presence in 2022 was a signal to Brady that the franchise was intent on remaining competitive.
Brady handled the rest with the timing of his announcement. It came on the brink of the free-agent frenzy and served as a message to potential departures. Ryan Jensen heeded the call, even though he may have earned more in the marketplace.
Tampa or bust, says Ira.
Only a fool would believe Brady hasn’t been talking to Rob Gronkowski about his intentions.
Brady’s return ended any speculation Gronk would consider playing for a different club this fall. Still, the Bucs must replace two starting guards off an offense that averaged 30 points.
The defense çould be weakened by significant departures and the 2022 schedule àppears quite challenging, yet the Brady-led Bucs are now favored to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
Scott Pioli notwithstanding, let’s dispense with this nonsense of a rift between Arians and Brady, who may have left his heart in San Francisco but surely won’t be playing there this fall.
Brady is a Buc, not a 49er, and all the speculation social media can muster isn’t going to change that glorious fact.
March 14th, 2022 at 9:26 pm
Why does Mike Florio have it in for Bruce Arians?
March 14th, 2022 at 9:32 pm
Families have feuds. Of course there were issues, and to lose the divisional playoff game against the Rams, at home, in that fashion, and Brady taking an absolute pounding to make the comeback happen only to lose hideously 30 seconds from overtime – yeah. I get it.
But that crap got so overblown, in large part because we live in this social media instant bloviating world where people want a juicy conspiracy to make their boring lives more interesting.
Brady’s a Buc. Scott Pioli will be wiping foul spew off of his face for a long time. The more he says a trade is coming, the more spew will be on his face and at some point he can’t wipe it off any more.
March 14th, 2022 at 9:33 pm
5 #1’s is the price
March 14th, 2022 at 9:39 pm
Hot Dog! “Bucs now favored to represent NFC in Super Bowl”. What a difference a Brady makes.
LFG
March 14th, 2022 at 9:45 pm
This entire offseason needs to be devoted to beating teams like the Rams, Saints, 49ers. Outbullying these bullies. Brady needs the support of a super physical team that is smashmouth on offense, and a wall on defense.
March 14th, 2022 at 9:49 pm
Need more players on defense. Resign gronk, akiem hicks to replace suh and resign JPP . Also fournette and call it a day, do they have enough money for that? Akiem Hicks should come cheap.
March 14th, 2022 at 9:50 pm
Next year when the Goat is gone Carolina is gonna have watson for 15 years.
March 14th, 2022 at 9:55 pm
Pioli’s comment was for attention. I listened to him on the NFL video and he spoke pretty highly of the Bucs without assumption of Brady not actually coming back to the Bucs. Florio is a different scenario. As a fellow paisan, I’m disappointed in Florio and it wasn’t only because he laughingly praised little tiny Dr Fauci. I really used to respect Florio’s reporting. He has since gone rogue. I refer to it as being dehumanized. Think of the person at the front counter of a doctors office. He or she doesn’t even look up and in a non-inviting type of tone says take a seat we will be with you soon. In my mind it is an older, disingenuous lady that is monotone with a nasally voice. That person is dehumanized. They aren’t welcoming or providing customer service. They have a memorized, impersonable line that they just recite because they have to. Mike Florio has become that person. His nasally, whiny voice is the now; the knowledgeable, confident voice is the then. That is because once upon a time Florio gave a crap about facts and logic. Now he cares solely about what he wants that fits his agenda. He’s become dehumanized.
March 14th, 2022 at 10:05 pm
Watson went 4-12 his last year with the Texans. Big whoop. Same as David Mills. Ppl are drastically overrating him.
March 14th, 2022 at 10:10 pm
Cmurda, I agree about Florio. To me, he represents everything wrong with the nfl, he’s a lawyer that argues with intellect and pushes an agenda, that I don’t think is of the best interest of the NFL. He’s a weasel who never played a down of flag football, let alone real football.
March 14th, 2022 at 10:10 pm
Brady probably spoke with Ryan Jensen and would have been honest with his intent before he resigned.
March 14th, 2022 at 10:24 pm
Florio is a sensationalist. He posts a lot of things for the purpose of driving traffic to his site.
But he wasn’t the only one saying that there is some type of drama or rift between Arians and Brady.
March 14th, 2022 at 10:26 pm
Elated Brady is back. Licht will find a couple of linemen. He’s pretty good at that. I am worried about our defense though. Guys, you gotta stop somebody. Offense saves the day. But your D sure as hell better be solid. We need a pass rush. The Rams chopped us up. And they will do it again unless we address Our D.
March 14th, 2022 at 10:28 pm
Pioli has been reduced to a self loathing has been drafting off Belichick/Brady for years. May even be Parcells’ son in law. I saw the clip where he still wasn’t convinced…looked like a scared little ninny.
March 14th, 2022 at 10:34 pm
.Buc Nasty Says:
March 14th, 2022 at 9:50 pm
Next year when the Goat is gone Carolina is gonna have watson for 15 years.
………….
LOL he didn’t make it 5 years before ruining the Texans singlehandedly. Good luck Panthers!
March 14th, 2022 at 10:38 pm
Pioli also says the Bucs season ended because the team was too old and it showed in the injuries. Injured players were: Wirfs, Grayson, Godwin. None of them are old. Pioli is just making stuff up.
March 14th, 2022 at 10:38 pm
I’m sure that Brady is very upset about not being a 49er and paying California all those tax $$$
March 14th, 2022 at 10:43 pm
Brady needs the kind of receiving security blankets he’s used to, in addition to Gronk. Godwin, important. How about another slot, such as Zach Pascal or Isiah McKenzie. Look into James White at RB, if he’s healthy. I like Brate, but not if he played the way he did last season. No to OJ Howard. Give Hayden Hurst or Ross Dwelley a look.
March 14th, 2022 at 11:02 pm
Maybe Pioli was saying many things in the background. I guess he does to not look foolish, in the face of Bradys post. Tom said 23rd year in Tampa on his post. But hey, there is a lot of butthurt NFL insiders right now about the GOAT coming back to graze on the home turf of the Bucs. But hey might as well die with your boots.So keep spewing Pioli. Lolololol
GO BUCS!!!!!
March 14th, 2022 at 11:03 pm
I sure hope Watson goes to the Panthers. That will mean they’ll be playing a backup QB while he’s suspend for this year.
And even when he plays…two years off the field when he wasn’t great before the drama.
Yeah…no.
March 14th, 2022 at 11:06 pm
Watson ain’t ALL that. He barely beat us with all of ATMs turnovers. Next year Trask will be ready to take his lumps
March 14th, 2022 at 11:19 pm
The man wanted to continue playing football.
He wasn’t going to drag his family across the country to deal with a psychotic California bizarro world when he and his wife are building their dream home in South Florida. He may have relatives in SF area, but the place is nothing like what it was 30 years ago.
Add in the fact he already knows the playbook, and he has a good working relationship with teammates and coaches- if he was coming back for 1 more year, it was with the Bucs. He probably got a few things straight with the coaches and management regarding focusing on objectives during playoffs ( put the f’ing interviews on hold)
March 14th, 2022 at 11:42 pm
No way the ultimate team player Tom Brady would leave after jensen et al sign this week.
March 14th, 2022 at 11:45 pm
Goodpoints Alanbucsfan
I dont think Brady ever seriously considered the 49ers. The biggest aspect being that he would have to learn an entirely new playbook in 5 months (remember how long it took for the Bucs offense to get rolling in Bradys first year).
Plus didnt the 49ers pick Jimmy G over Brady when he was a free agent? My guess is Brady didnt just forget about that.
The Bucs are the best spot for Brady. Despite all the BS reports.
March 15th, 2022 at 12:26 am
Trask??? No, never!!! He just doesn’t excite the masses.
March 15th, 2022 at 12:56 am
Nice Tony Bennett reference, ira!
March 15th, 2022 at 1:00 am
Florio is an idiot.
March 15th, 2022 at 1:42 am
I got to really dislike Florio, too. His authoritative voice, like he’s trying to convince a jury when he has no evidence. His often “anonymous” and “unauthorized” sources are really only he, himself, and him. He tries to make people believe him when he makes stuff up, then barely mentions his ridiculous narratives when he is proven wrong. I listen to him less and less.
March 15th, 2022 at 3:29 am
@ron said it best…
and i mentioned it earlier as well…
tom would never gas up ryan jensen’s head with bs…
he probably told ryan he’s staying for 2 more years…
and ryan said “cool i’m in”…
also they probably offered cappa 3 years 25 mil and he bolted for the 4 for 40 deal…
i think we coulda landed cappa at 3 for 30 and i think the bucs woulda done it too…it’s a shame he dipped off
March 15th, 2022 at 7:05 am
We didn’t spend a 3rd round pick on Hainsey last year for nothing. He can plug in at either gaurd spot. Stinnie played as well as Cappa in a S.B. no less. We have Hutchenson waiting in the wings, and there may be two day one starters at gaurd in the draft when we pick. Jensen, Smith, Wirfs are back. Don’t know why the worry about the O line. We’ll be fine.
March 15th, 2022 at 7:31 am
Isn’t that what people do nowadays? Double down even though they’ve been proven wrong?
March 15th, 2022 at 7:52 am
I think everybody is assuming that we get only one more year of Brady….and, we can’t count on more than that….but I wouldn’t be surprised to get 2 or 3.
Kyle Trask is the huge winner here…..