Watching Aaron Donald Work Out, Tom Brady Thinks, “Maybe I Should Have Retired.”
June 15th, 2022
Tom Brady made it clear today that he realizes he’s a little crazy for still playing football.
Social media visits have put the 2000 draft pick in a pensive mood. Brady, per his chatter today on The Dan Patrick Show (Joe listened on SiriusXM, Ch. 85), has seen a little too much of a guy that wants to break him in half.
“I think I’m part crazy. I mean I think that’s the reality — 45 years old and I’m out here a lot of young guys that are trying to take my head off,” Brady said. “And I see Aaron Donald work out on my Instagram and I’m like, ‘Damn, maybe I should have retired.’ You know (laughs), because he’s a beast. But you know, I had the appetite to compete and it’s going to be gone soon. I mean there’s no doubt about it. And I gotta, you know, really appreciate the time I have left because it’s not a lot.”
A fun one-liner from Brady, but Joe has no doubt this was a little pre-planned Brady chatter about Donald. Brady surely is every bit as fiery and competitive as Donald, and Brady probably wants to rip a few heads off this season himself (figuratively speaking.)
Also, Joe doesn’t think Brady believes he’s crazy for still playing. He’s got the best offensive line he’s ever had, a stable of stud receivers. He’d be crazy not to play this season.
June 15th, 2022 at 11:16 am
And he’s got a defense that might be the best Tampa has since he’s been here. If we can create more take aways, and improve on third down, Tom’s job just got easier.
June 15th, 2022 at 11:31 am
@Hodad Best ever? And then you proceed to list the big areas they need to improve. And his job is certainly not easier with that tough schedule and a missing Godwin. Homer syndrome sometimes on this board. We Bucs fans need to be more rational
June 15th, 2022 at 11:34 am
Brady is pretty brave, and nobody’s chump. He really is not afraid of anyone.
Respect, yes, scared, no.
He was recently on social media, making fun of the size of Peyton Manning’s Forehead, LOL
June 15th, 2022 at 12:05 pm
I would have retired after seeing the pictures of that guys face Aaron Donald smashed in that bar fight. Brutal.
June 15th, 2022 at 12:24 pm
Did Brady just tell us he’s one Big Hit away from losing “the appetite?”
June 15th, 2022 at 12:39 pm
Brady’s a warrior.
June 15th, 2022 at 1:25 pm
Alrighty then…..
Garoppalo…stat…Mr. Licht.
June 15th, 2022 at 1:38 pm
All kidding aside, the bucs must change how they do approach Donald. You can’t let him wreck the game. In the playoff loss. Donald had 8 total pressures, 2 QB hits, 1 sack and 3 solo stops.
They should use his pursuit against him, much like the Patriots did in the superbowl. When they ran away from him, they would always shove him away from the play. This prevented Donald from making a backside tackle. The Patriots also blocked Donald from every conceivable angle, hitting him from the side, with a motion TE, or a back. He finished the game with 2 pressures, 0 sacks, 2 run stuffs, and just 5 total tackles.
June 15th, 2022 at 1:51 pm
What GOB said.
June 15th, 2022 at 3:19 pm
GOB nailed it.
Study everything the Patriots do.
June 15th, 2022 at 3:38 pm
Hodad Says:
June 15th, 2022 at 11:16 am
And he’s got a defense that might be the best Tampa has since he’s been here. If we can create more take aways, and improve on third down, Tom’s job just got easier.
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Dude, can I have some of whatever you’re smoking?
I mean I already live in Cali and have access to the best herb, but none of is strong enough for me to make a statement like this, lol.
June 15th, 2022 at 4:49 pm
Where’s GRONK????
June 15th, 2022 at 4:52 pm
Hodad Sapp, Brooks, Barber, Lynch, Rice etc. etc. etc.
June 15th, 2022 at 6:21 pm
The reason the Pats were able to “stop” Aaron Donald was because Jared Goff was the Rams QB and Bill Bellicheck was the Pats Head Coach. Also, Gurley Kupp was on IR.
The Rams first 8 drives in the game resulted in 8 punts, with 5 three and outs and 3 five play drives.
Those first 8 drives the Rams gained 72 yards total in 2 and a half quarters play.
Unfortunately for the Bucs, Matthew Stafford is exponentially better than Jared Goff.
The Rams defense and Pats defense played amazing defensive football in that Super Bowl. It was old school football and I loved it. After 3 quarters of play the score was tied 3-3.
Aaron Donald had a quiet day on the stat sheet, but the Rams defense played amazing against the Pats. Unfortunately for Aaron Donald, Jared Goff played poorly and the Pats defense played amazingly well too, and of course TB12, Michael and Edelman on offense.
The Pats not having to worry about guarding Cooper Kupp in the Super Bowl was a major factor as well.
The 2023 Rams are not the 2018 Rams.
Context is everything.
June 15th, 2022 at 6:45 pm
Cooper Cupp injured and on the IR for the Pats v Rams Super Bowl.
Todd Gurley playing with a hurt knee and hamstring in the game as well.
June 15th, 2022 at 7:54 pm
Read the entire post for the love of God. He said since Tom’s been here………… not best bucs d of all time. You need to read all the words..then read it again…. digest it for 10 minutes and then MAYBE post a comment. JC.
June 15th, 2022 at 9:38 pm
Belle, hold on. You’re saying because the Rams were injured on offense, that it changed how the Patriots blocked Donald? Arguing context is fine, but we can play the what if game forever. What if the chiefs had 5 healthy lineman in Superbowl 55? What if fans were in the stands for the three road playoff wins the bucs had that year. If my grandmother had wheels she’d be a wagon.
June 15th, 2022 at 9:55 pm
Unbelievable, it’s Colorado.
June 15th, 2022 at 10:10 pm
@GOB
I’m saying that if you are counting on having the offensive strategy that the Patriots applied against Aaron Donald in the Super Bowl today in 2023 that ANY team will lose.
In the Rams vs Patriots Super Bowl the Patriots ran the ball 32 times for 154 yards. You can stay committed to the run when the other team’s offense is doing nothing like the Rams did in that Super Bowl.
Please tell me GOB that you don’t think any team in 2023 are going to hold Matthew Stafford, Cooper Cupp, Allen Robinson, Tyler Higbee, Cam Akers, OBJ, and Robert Woods to ZERO TD’s and only 1 FG like what happened in the Rsms v Pats Super Bowl.
Please tell me GOB that you don’t believe that if TB12 turns the ball over twice to the Rams and throws ZERO TD’s while QBing the Bucs in 2023 that you are saying that the Bucs will win, because that’s what TB12 did in the Pats v Rams Super Bowl.
Please tell me GOB that you understand when the other team’s offense is scoring, as the Rams offense did against us last year and as they will do against the Bucs this year, that your team will be forced to be less committed to the run.
Please tell me GOB that you understand with Aaron Donald and Bobby Wagner that the Rams defense in 2023 just got very difficult to run against.
Please tell me GOB that you are not that UN knowledgeable when it comes to football.
June 15th, 2022 at 11:19 pm
Belle, you’re confused please. Had the bucs not blitzed Stafford at an alarming rate, they could’ve held the score down. No, probably not 3 points, but Stafford was #1 against the blitz last year. He struggles mightily when forced to throw against 7 or more defenders. He always has, even with plentiful weapons in Detroit.
My point is, the defensive approach made it impossible for the bucs to commit to the run. It works both ways. Bobby Wagner isn’t the player you remember from superbowl 49. Donald can be blocked, if you don’t blitz yourself into a gigantic hole. It’s not about rushing production, it’s about the attempts. It slows down an overly aggressive front.
Please tell me you’re not that unknowledgeable when it comes to football, please, please.
June 16th, 2022 at 7:46 am
As good as Brady is, our Superbowl chances are riding on JTS turning into a superstar, Shaq Barrett playing like one and the rookie giving us a solid contribution. If our D-line play in 2021 was anywhere near to where it was 2019, we would have been 20-0. Their dropoff into utter mediocrity is why Brady had to play god mode in big games for us to win.
June 16th, 2022 at 7:53 am
BelleGladeBuc & GOB … Now THAT’S what I would call solid analysis. Even though the 2 of you came to different conclusions regarding what Bucs SHOULD have done (versus what we REALLY did), both of you make excellent points. Loved it.
It’s near impossible IMO to compare Super Bowls over different years, especially when different teams are involved. Just the role that injuries play is huge, not to mention different QBs & other key players. What is fun though is to look at the strategies & tactics involved, and obviously those were considerably different in those 2 SBs.
Keeping a key defender at bay (like Aaron Donald or a Vita Vea or whoever) MAY look impressive in the stats, but dedicating additional ‘resources’ to that purpose alone can easily cost a team big elsewhere. In cases like that, it really is a chess game I think between the OC & DC, and Todd Bowles plays chess quite well it appears. Still, you’ve gotta have the horses & they still have to perform to the max on virtually every play or the team can get burned big-time.
June 16th, 2022 at 8:17 am
Jonny … ‘Their dropoff into utter mediocrity is why Brady had to play god mode in big games for us to win.’
In a couple of games of games you’re spot on Jonny, but to a larger degree the Bucs’ offense dug holes for the defense that they fell into in certain games. Take the Dallas game last year as a for instance.
Yes we won 31-29. Yes Brady pulled it out with the last-minute drive for a FG (we were losing 29-28 with a 1:24 to go). But if you look at the game quarter-by-quarter, the Bucs’ defense kept us close throughout the game even though Bucs’ offense screwed the pooch BIG-TIME with FOUR turnovers (that resulted in 13 Dallas points but could’ve been a lot more).
Dallas had the #1 offense last year AND was a very good rushing team (over 2100 yards), but our defense shut down the run pretty quickly & effectively in that game (18 rushes for 60 yds) and forced them to go to the short pass (which Dak Prescott used very effectively IMO). But look at our 4 TOs:
o Fumble (2nd qtr) on TB 27-yd line … Touchdown
o Interception (2nd qtr) on DAL 25-yd line … Field Goal
o Interception (2nd qtr) on DAL 42-yd line … Ended the half
o Fumble (4th qtr) on DAL 10-yd line … Field Goal
So our offense gave Dallas the ball deep in TB territory on the 1st TO and gave up several very good scoring opportunities with the last 3 TOs. Complementary football has an ugly side it turns out in that it can be very UNCOMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL at times. Thankfully we survived that one to start the season on a positive note.
June 16th, 2022 at 8:42 am
Good god I love you guys, yall go deep! And thats what we need. Im too busy working and cant post much or go that deep in film study….BUT, if I ever met you guys, all drinks and food is on me.
June 16th, 2022 at 10:43 am
@GOB
Bobby Wagner was 2nd Team All Pro at MLB on a very bad Seattle football team last year.
That means that he’s the second best MLB in all of the NFL last year.
So I guess you’re right GOB, Wagner is not as good as he was back in Super Bowl 49 when he was 1st Team All Pro. SMH.
I don’t think the Bucs are capable of being successful against the Rams with a 50% run and 50% pass approach, and that is what you are advocating for because that’s what the Pats did against the Rams in that Super Bowl. The Rams offense in 2023 is much more explosive than it was in 2018. That fact forces a different offensive approach.
I know that you’re knowledgeable GOB, and I know that you know that the Bucs offense can’t rely on an offensive strategy built around holding the Rams offense to under 200 yards passing and one FG for an entire game.
I know that you know GOB that how the other team’s offense is playing determines how your team approaches the game offensively and how you attack their defense.
Love the back and forth with you GOB, and that it’s focused on football.
June 16th, 2022 at 10:49 am
@Defense Rules: you are absolutely right. There were a few games where the offense dug a hole and put our team in jeopardy. But like your handle says, defense truly rules. That is the one consistent way of being a Superbowl contender and that is what won us and the Rams their Superbowls. Offense even with a master of craft like Brady will always have some ups and downs, it is the nature of that unit. What is more consistent is not even the play of overall defense, but that of D-line (and O-line). Against the Rams and saints we consistently fall flat on our back in trenches. We blitz so much even if Intel says Stafford is the best against blitz because we could not generate a decent passrush with the front 4 last year. I am very happy they drafted Hall, I think our front office realized the one unit that actually dropped off fully in performance was D-line.
June 16th, 2022 at 12:53 pm
@GOB
The Bucs rushed 4 and dropped 7 in the first half of the Divisional Playoff Game against the Rams on 3rd and 20, and Cooper Kupp caught a 70 yard TD thrown by Matthew Stafford.
It seems that your opinion of Stafford playing poorly and struggling against teams when they don’t blitz him is highly exaggerated.
June 16th, 2022 at 12:55 pm
@Bojim – lol, we’ll have to disagree there… (def great stuff can be found in both states though)
June 16th, 2022 at 1:26 pm
@Defense Rules
Your analysis and summation of how offenses and defenses complement each other was spot on.
Well said and we’ll done.
June 16th, 2022 at 6:24 pm
Brady is a great Warrior. But Aaron Donald is a flat Out Beast. A quicker, stronger and improved version of Warren Sapp.