“I Do Think Bruce Arians And Byron Leftwich Got [Tom Brady] To Break Out Of His Shell”
June 12th, 2022
A quarterback guru and a former Patriots assistant coach has a unique perspective on Tom Brady’s improvement.
Joe enjoys listening to former Bucs QB Chris Simms break down offenses and quarterback play for NBC Sports. He puts in the film work and always delivers a reasoned rather than a hot take. That doesn’t mean Simms is always right, but his arguments are always fresh and unmanufactured, Joe believes.
In the midst of his annual offseason quarterback rankings, Simms found his way to Tom Brady last week on his Unbuttoned podcast.
Brady grabbed the No. 8 slot ahead of Dak Prescott and just behind Russell Wilson.
“He is more aggressive and more a playmaker at the quarterback position now than maybe he’s been in the last four, five or six years, ” said Simms, who noted Brady at times played conservatively in New England in part because of his confidence in playcalling.
Brady had become so confident in then-Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, per Simms, that it created a confidence in Brady to throw balls away because he believed another great playcall was coming on the next play.
Simms prefers the Bucs’ version of Brady, which he says rivals the Brady of eight years ago.
“He now makes more throws and changes the game in more positive ways with the Bucs than I feel like he ever did the last few years with the Patriots,” Simms said.
“I do think Bruce Arians and Byron Leftwich got him to break out of his shell. To go like, ‘Stop worrying if you throw for 73.4 percent [completion rate]. Let’s throw for 66 percent and just be more dangerous as an offense and have teams scared. You’re making more big plays. Yeah, maybe the ball hits the ground [more].'”
Ironically, Brady’s completion percentage last year, 67.5, was the second best of his career — and he threw more passes than he ever had previously. So the aggression suited him well behind an elite pass blocking line.
Brady’s arm is still elite, Simms said, and constant Arians-Leftwich prodding to take shots made Brady progressively more aggressive and not worried about being blamed for mistakes coming from aggression — like would have happened in New England.
Joe likes Brady out of his shell, to use the Simms analogy, and Joe expects the Bucs to keep throwing at a tremendous pace. That’s also represents the best chance of Brady returning in 2023: success in a high-flying offense.
No quarterback wants to walk away from that.
June 12th, 2022 at 5:41 am
Whatever she’ll we’re just happy he’s here for the 2022 season 👍
June 12th, 2022 at 5:49 am
Heard parts of Simms QB ranking list while driving yesterday. Agree or disagree, there can be no doubt the former Bucs QB puts in the time. He takes his rankings seriously and comes to his conclusions after watching countless hours of game film.
In a bit of a shocker, he had Rogers ranked sixth, ironically accusing last year’s MVP of turning into the conservative thrower Brady was becoming before he broke free and went to our Bucs.
In a risk—reward, bombs away league, now filled with young QB stars, Simms portrayed Rogers as a guy going the other way, especially after last year’s home playoff loss to the 49ers.
No matter your opinion of Simms takes, it’s hard not to imagine him being a great offensive coordinator should he decide to break free from his conspiracy minded (did I ever tell you I was a lawyer?) radio pal.
June 12th, 2022 at 6:39 am
yet he ranks tom #8…………….wtf…
something is up with one christopher sims
June 12th, 2022 at 6:54 am
maybe we should rate chris simms freakazoid haircut against 32 other talking heads and see where he ranks…
joe it could be time to rock a poll
June 12th, 2022 at 6:54 am
We need a championship defense to stop the Rams… who got better in the off season
June 12th, 2022 at 7:24 am
The only ranking that really counts for me is MY ranking & I have him ranked #1.
June 12th, 2022 at 7:31 am
Behind freaken Wilson? Really?!?!?
June 12th, 2022 at 7:38 am
Simms has a bit of a jealously bias when it comes to TB
June 12th, 2022 at 7:56 am
LOL he hatched.
June 12th, 2022 at 8:02 am
Did he lose his spleen, or his brain?
June 12th, 2022 at 8:34 am
Simms has some underlying thing with Brady. Maybe going back to when he was water boy for the Pats. Brady’s #1 and has been for most of his career . All these bull spit artists seem to hold it against him that he finally has elite talent around him . Those last several years in New England the receiver talent got worse progressively . His last SB for the Pats he won throwing to a beat up Edleman and Gronk and James White. I never hear Mahomes dissed because he’s had elite receiver talent his whole career . Simms is still riding daddy’s name. Let’s face it. Would anyone know who Simms was if not for Phil. Danny Etling might as well put out a ranking too.
June 12th, 2022 at 8:47 am
My bad. I should’ve said coffee fetcher. You have to get on the field to be a water boy.
June 12th, 2022 at 9:36 am
Number 8 Chrissie?
Another pass batted down at the line of scrimmage Chrissie. You suck.
June 12th, 2022 at 9:58 am
Who cares what Simms thinks anyway? The real issue in the responses is how the Rams keep signing players and supposedly have little to no cap space.
June 12th, 2022 at 10:20 am
And the Saints.
June 12th, 2022 at 10:42 am
Simms prefers the Bucs’ version of Brady, which he says rivals the Brady of eight years ago.-
Brady had the best group of receivers the last 2 years since he had Edelman, Gronk and LaFell in New England 8 years ago. Probably the best group he has had ever.
June 12th, 2022 at 10:51 am
Last year, at age 45, Simms rated Brady as #8 in league. I would venture to say for ANY QB at age 45, they would all be listed at #32, or be listed in Room 32 in the ICU with a mangled body.
I’m still in awe of what Brady can do at his age. Last year I saw more than a few throws from Brady that were elite. That TD pass to Evans vs Rams was darn-near perfect throw.
And yet, shockingly, I’m not worried at all about age with TB12 this year. That “cliff” has not come yet for Brady, and when it comes (if?) we will ALL know it and there will be no questions he will retire. “I’ll play until I suck.”
June 12th, 2022 at 11:14 am
The ranking isn’t important, but then neither is Sims. Sims always denigrates Brady. Shannon Sharpe does it too, it’s part of their shtick. One of the easiest ways to lose your job as a media analyst is to be seen as unoriginal or bland.
June 12th, 2022 at 11:54 am
Kentucky Buc – ROTFL!
Excellent.
June 12th, 2022 at 1:09 pm
There are only 2 QB’s that you could even possibly rank ahead of Brady. One is Josh Allen and the other Mahomes. Matthew Stafford is the only other one that is even close.
June 12th, 2022 at 1:30 pm
It’s a function of the talent around him, not a change in the way he approaches the position. If the Patriots would’ve had all those talented pass catchers, the numbers would be relatively similar. Belichick isn’t afraid to throw the football. Brady threw for a then record 50 TDs on 2007. Had Bernard Pollard, not destroyed his ACL, Brady would’ve put up similar numbers in 2008. Brady lead the league in passing TDs 2010, and passer rating. It’s also never been easier for QBs, because of the rule changes. Chris Simms is a moron. Just listen to him for 10 minutes and tell me different. His butchery of the English language is legendary.
June 12th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
Buccos- I’d take Joe Burrow over all of them except Brady.
June 12th, 2022 at 1:45 pm
Brady’s passing TD totals
2011-39
2012-34
2013-25
2014-33
2015-36
2016-28
2017-32
2018-29
Give him another weapon during those years, and the passing TDs go up. Did Simms even bother to put this in his “analysis” what a boob
June 12th, 2022 at 1:46 pm
No 8? Really?? The guy was 1st in all most all categories the last two year. Talk about lack of respect.
June 12th, 2022 at 1:49 pm
Clearly TB12 is a top 8 qb. More like top 3. Clearly should have been MVP last year. More yards and TDs then AR!!! Another Lombardi and maybe he will be back!!
June 12th, 2022 at 2:00 pm
Joe Burrow is up there too but in a clutch situation or coming from behind no one is better than Brady. And I agree that Brady should have won MVP this year. Rodgers is very overrated and I can’t wait to see how he does with no Devante Adams this year. And with Rodgers eating up so much of their salary cap.
June 12th, 2022 at 2:03 pm
Brady sbould have been number one. Chris makes some pretty dumb lists, but he’s still entertaining and I enjoy listening to him. His whackjob partner is another matter and I stopped paying attention to that dude months ago.
June 12th, 2022 at 2:22 pm
BA & BL have absolutely no influence on Brady’s play unless if for the worse. LMAO, the clown show. Joe Burrows? A one year wonder, the DC’s will figure him out the same as Mahomes and Jackson.
June 12th, 2022 at 3:15 pm
Belichik keeps all the Patriot players under his thumb. He won’t let any player’s star shine brighter than his.
June 12th, 2022 at 4:54 pm
What “shell”? BS.
June 12th, 2022 at 6:00 pm
Brady’s average completion percentage for the last 11 years in NE is 65.03
In two years with Tampa, it’s at 66.05. I know it’s a small sample, so I broke it down further. compared to his last five years in NE, the avg. completion percentage is almost identical. 65.6%.
Simms needs to do some homework before he runs off at the mouth.
June 12th, 2022 at 6:30 pm
It is funny if you think SIMMs would be a good Coach. Joe evens knows better than him. A coach cannot rank Brady outside top 10 the year he won the SB for his team. Just look back his history or ranking every year. If you are the head coach and general manager, which player you want to pick up for just one year to win all?
June 12th, 2022 at 6:41 pm
Simms should know, he’s spleen it all.
June 12th, 2022 at 7:42 pm
If he didn’t have the last name, Simms would be no different than any other blowhard know-it-all Brady troll. This is nothing new for him. The DB has made a living off predicting Brady’s demise. Without daddy’s name, he’s just a dude that has another man’s initials tattooed on his leg. For those of you that don’t know, yes he has Kyle Shanahan’s initials tattooed on his leg.
June 12th, 2022 at 7:47 pm
Take what he says about the 49ers with a chunk of rock salt.
June 12th, 2022 at 9:34 pm
Tampa Bay Dangerfield’s because even Tom Brady can come here and get no respect and that was evident with the MVP snub last year.
June 12th, 2022 at 9:41 pm
CleanHouse, Simms has some spleening to do.
June 12th, 2022 at 9:51 pm
Geez. Tough house tonight.
June 13th, 2022 at 7:55 am
When it comes to QB evaluation on Brady, Chris Simms is the last person I want to hear from. I’ve heard Simms’ opinions on Brady over the years and there’s definitely always some kind of underlying issue he has with Brady. When Brady has a good game, he would always some kind of back handed complements. After a bad game, he pounced. Maybe he got yelled at by Brady back in his NE days and took it personal. Again, he would be the last person to do an unbiased evaluation on Brady.
GOB is the most lucid and perceptive commenter on Brady here. Respect.
June 13th, 2022 at 12:03 pm
TY