Report: Tom Brady Told Confidants It Was Bucs In 2023 Or Retirement
February 1st, 2023
Interesting nugget from Tom Brady insider, the pride of Pinellas County, Jeff Darlington on ESPN Radio this morning.
Darlington long has been acknowledged as the lone reporter with legitimate personal ties to the Brady camp.
After Brady’s public retirement about 8 a.m. this morning, Darlington hopped on BSPN radio and said the Bucs were informed of the news about 6 a.m. And Darlington added this gem. He said Brady had been telling those close to him that if he played in 2023, “it was going to be the Bucs or he was going to retire.”
Darlington acknowledged that some close to Brady didn’t believe him but it turned out to be true.
That has Joe wondering how the Bucs approached Brady’s status for 2023 during the past couple of weeks. It sounds like Brady certainly told Jason Licht and Team Glazer that he’d play for them if he decides to play.
Did that affect offensive coordinator interviews? It was reported that the Bucs were asking several candidates how they would craft an offense for Brady.
Flash poll posted at 9:31 a.m.
February 1st, 2023 at 9:45 am
I don’t know how that affects our interviewing. But I’d bet it would affect the decision making process of any potential OC. And Bowles is going nowhere.
February 1st, 2023 at 9:45 am
Go Bucs.
February 1st, 2023 at 9:49 am
Told you
February 1st, 2023 at 9:49 am
I can see Brady saying Bucs or retirement. He would have to learn new teammates and a new system if he went elsewhere.
Tom Brady is done. He’ll retire.
February 1st, 2023 at 9:55 am
Of course you know they asked the OC question both ways. But the only way the media jumped on was how they would design the offense around Brady. Not another QB also.
February 1st, 2023 at 9:56 am
I wish they would’ve went after Frank Reich. Dude is a coaching genious.
Now we stuck with Da Todd Bowl of crap. There will be no offense and a lousy defense.
Full rebuild on the way folks. Mike Evans should go to a competitive team, maybe 9 ers or Cowboys or something like that. Sell off all and get draft picks.
Get younger, stronger, faster, everywhere. We have no speed or power.
February 1st, 2023 at 9:58 am
I love tom, glad he loved us. We’re a family down here bro
February 1st, 2023 at 10:00 am
Bowles stays + Brady gone = Willie G and his dad gone.
We decided we will not suffer through another season of the boring, uncreative, and inept coaching of a guy stuck in the 70s. Coach Stuck in the Past will be gone this time next year, mark my words.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:00 am
Make senses, especially with some of the other reports we’ve heard.
Doesn’t matter now, but it’s a nice gesture to Bucs fans if nothing else.
Oh well, back to irrelevancy we go! Who’s ready to talk about mock drafts for half the regular season again?
February 1st, 2023 at 10:01 am
Trask time baby.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:02 am
Ok now it’s time to land Jordan Love !!! You can do it Jason
February 1st, 2023 at 10:03 am
Hard to believe it….
Rebuild time baby….
1/2 years of patience…….
February 1st, 2023 at 10:03 am
Trade the fat and draft the beef. It starts in the trenches my friends. Imagine T Brady facing that eagles pass rush. It would have been pathetic. Go with Trask, trade Evans to a winner, say your good byes to LVD, trade Devin Hype for a bag of tostados, resign Nelson and maybe Nassib. I would also try to resign Edwards and Dean and send SMB outta here on a slip and slide.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:03 am
Sucks for those who are stuck with 2023 season tickets.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:05 am
Bucsfan13. You told everyone he was definitely Going to to the Bucs, The Dolphins. Then retiring. Not far from his kids. So which guess would you like to credit for? congratulations.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:06 am
In some ways this is a relief. We knew this day was coming, at least now they can address the inevitable which is a tough cap situation. I think its time to cut ties with some high priced underperforming vets and start loading up for the next window. Unfortunately, I dont believe Bowles is the answer. He will be gone at the end of the year. Bowles is a great DC but nothing else, and it speaks volumes when you have OCs that do not want to come here knowing they could be fired in a year. This organization needs stability, management would be smart to invest in a legitmate coach for the long haul.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:06 am
Great, we will forever be known as the team that wasted Brady’s last year.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:08 am
Yucs !!! Go get Jordan love with the first rounder and maybe a player ? I can’t go through another 10 years of irrelevance
February 1st, 2023 at 10:09 am
I have seen nothing from Trask. Bring Derek Carr in. The division is up for grabs.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:10 am
OK Tom has retired. He said that it was the Bucs or retirement. As a career Brady fan let me assure you that if that was my only 2 choices, i’d retire too. In my opinion, this is the only thing that Todd and Cletus accomplished is running the greatest QB in history into retirement. Yes my friends you heard it right.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:11 am
It was a good run.
Let’s reboot and reload. All aspects of football are fun!
Go Bucs!
February 1st, 2023 at 10:12 am
By by to all you fake Patriots fans and fake bucs fans!!!
February 1st, 2023 at 10:14 am
I think Monken is the clear cut favorite….he’s experienced and likely has insight on which college QB might be worth drafting/developing. If Bowles flames out, Monken takes over with a clean cap situation to then build the roster the way he chooses.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:15 am
Bring Derek Carr in for QB competition with Trask
February 1st, 2023 at 10:18 am
ViSyl, your forgetting Blows final play call against the Rams. Wasted a epic comeback. To all of you that truly appreciated his presence, unfortunately in the Bucs case for a short stretch sorry for your loss. To those like: zzbuc, ttbuc3, oralbuc, Oneilsuckyall, Youngbuc, blodad, beanblo, rsj, stp, old black man and the rest of the haters. Enjoy you mediocrity fall Sundays and go back to your losing ways. My true belief is the game ticket cost became out of your reach so you fought back through your hate cries. Bye Thomas, hello Turd Bowls.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:18 am
We need to work on both lines most importantly
February 1st, 2023 at 10:20 am
Well, this team is in shambles. Gonna be an interesting off-season with lots of day-drinking, LOL.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:22 am
Can we now move on?
February 1st, 2023 at 10:25 am
Dear O’Neilbuc, Anthem, and your Ilk,
I wish nothing but the absolute worst for you miserable, pathetic, illiterate losers and it was truly nauseating having to come to learn that people like you really do exist in the world.
Please choke on chicken testicles every day of your life from here on out. I will be back next year to see if you low-life losers are still posting on this blog as the Bucs suck donkey d!ick for the rest of the decade.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:25 am
Bucs or retirement = 31 other teams did not have a spot for a 46 yo with delusions of grandeur. They all watched the same film. Bye Faketriots. Now go get a franchise quarterback. At least Trask gets promoted to backup at the moment.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:31 am
We had a quarterback who had a tough year and is closer to 50 than 40. Let that sink in a moment. If it were anyone other than Brady the mere fact that we’re having a conversation about a quarterback pushing 50 would be absolutely ludicrous.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:33 am
We made the GOAT retire because Arians demanded that his minions steered our ship. Incredible. Thanks for the memories, Tom. Always in my heart.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:34 am
Once he heard Bowls was coming back, he knew he was retiring. Why would he want to come back for another season with that imbecile. Bucs are going to be very hard to watch next season. VERY HARD.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:38 am
I wonder how low the game tickets will be now that TB12 has retired?
I agree with many on here, rebuild. We have players that could get some good draft picks. We have gotten older and slower. Definitely need some youth on this team
February 1st, 2023 at 10:39 am
Like I’ve always said….If he plays, he stays.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:43 am
I’m looking for the Fire Todd Bowles option in the above poll. Time to start over (again)
February 1st, 2023 at 10:44 am
Robert Weiner from Plant High School is available. Better than Lefty.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:48 am
At best, second hand information that can’t be definitively cconfirmed until that sentiment comes out of Tom Bradys’ mouth, but cool story I guess. I’m just glad I won’t have to see any more of those abominable half Bucs half Patriots jerseys’ I’ve seen up here in the tri-state area, those things were ugly and disgusting.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:50 am
Glazers prolly sell once MU deal is done.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:50 am
This insures that Aaron Rodgers plays at least one more year.
With his ego, there is no way he’s retiring the same year as Brady and playing second fiddle in Canton five years from now.
February 1st, 2023 at 10:56 am
Lol 🤣🤣🤣 NEfakefan, Gannon, are crying now your Patriots ain’t good either lol 🤣🤣🤣. Your god is gone and now yall can go back to your team if the real Patriots fans take you back!! Lol 😂😂😂
February 1st, 2023 at 10:59 am
TB12 said hell no to the Bowles Bucs. Glazers spitting in the faces of bucs fans keeping that loser HC.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:00 am
Glazers should sell the team.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:08 am
Brady told the Glazers, Todd Bowles or me, and now we know what happened.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:16 am
@DBS. You must have been confused with another poster. I’ve also maintained that he was retiring.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:21 am
Time to tank!
Goal #1 find a QB for the long term
Goal #2 sell off assets to get picks
In terms of the get QB:
1. Draft Richardson or trade for Lance
2. Start Trask (or Lance)
3. Draft QB in 2024, preferably Williams. Only way you don’t draft if you are confident we have a STUD
That gives three shots at finding an elite QB. We need it.
Draft wise since it’s a rebuild focus on positions that age slower initially. For example RB age fast, OL slower. We want to get timelines to line up.
Absolutely WORST thing we can do is go for the division because the division is bad. Getting blasted in the first round doesn’t help us long term.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:23 am
With Bowles and Trask leading the Bucs. They will be underdogs in every game.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:25 am
Bucs should hire Willie Taggert as OC. That should assure an 0-17 year.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:26 am
Monken better stay in Georgia. I doubt he’ll be able to field an offense good enough for him to steal Bowles’ job like Koetter did to Lovie.
Perhaps we should have kept Leftwich. Would have guaranteed a top 5 pick next season.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:28 am
Anyone suggesting that the Bucs draft Anthony Richardson, off yourself.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:29 am
Here’s a thought…
Tom Brady for OC!!!!
And then HC next year!
February 1st, 2023 at 11:32 am
I wonder when fools on the board will start talking “if Brady decides to unretire…”
February 1st, 2023 at 11:33 am
Rebuild on the go. NO tanking as division is wide open. Do not trade for a for a QB and blow draft picks. Sign Mayfield for lower money and see what happens. Unless Lamar hits the open market.
Go bucs and thanks to brady for 3 fun years
February 1st, 2023 at 11:34 am
Hypothetically speaking, let’s say Brady DID want to play for another team. What would be the quickest way to make that happen? He’d have to wait until free agency begins in March to announce signing with another team, that’s 2 months away roughly.
Retire, then sign with another team to avoid tampering. Does anyone know the rules about something like this? Can a player expedite his being a free agent by retiring then unretiring?
Just a thought – not that I’m saying he’ll unretire again, but it got me thinking because of how Gronk unretired, although in Gronk’s case, he still had a contract with the Pats.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:35 am
So why all the love for Jordan Love, who hasn’t done a heck of a lot, but yet, NO love for Trask?? I don’t get it. NOBODY thought Purdy would do ANYTHING when he stepped on the field.. Anyways, Thanks Tom for the 3 year run! ALWAYS be thankful you were part of our 2nd championship!
Oh for reference, here are Jordan Love’s stats that some are clammoring for…. again, fill me in as I seem to be missing why he is the great missing link…
2022 Regular Season
Career
CMP ATT CMP% YDS AVG TD INT LNG RTG
14 21 66.7 195 9.3 1 0 63 112.2
50 83 60.2 606 7.3 3 3 63 79.7
February 1st, 2023 at 11:36 am
Thank you Tom Brady for bringing us another Super Bowl! You the G.O.A.T!!!!!!!
February 1st, 2023 at 11:37 am
Tom Brady loved playing for the Bucs so much he ruined his marriage 😂 😂
February 1st, 2023 at 11:37 am
Tom Brady’s last few weeks….
Do I have another season in me or retire?
Looks at the NFL reports to see if Bowles got fired…
“Maybe tomorrow”…
FEB 1st – Bowles still HC….
[Brady] ‘I don’t like losing and that is all that the Bucs will do under Bowles SO I’m out!’
February 1st, 2023 at 11:39 am
2023 gonna be rough
February 1st, 2023 at 11:49 am
I’m very happy Brady retired a Buc…..would have stayed a Buc…..didn’t float around to another team…
Thanks for the SB, Tom…
My favorite Bucs…….Brad Johnson, Jon Gruden, Tom Brady, Bruce Arians..
Easy to see why…..
February 1st, 2023 at 11:51 am
Todd Bowels is toast because his defense stinks and he can’t fix offenses. Plus no good offensive coordinator wants to coach for us now knowing Tom Brady will not be playing for the Bucs next year.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:51 am
Can anyone on this site decipher oneilsuckyall’s post? I have NO idea what he is trying to say. He has to be a relative of BL. I almost forgot scru you Doc & Duane, missed your names in my previous post.
February 1st, 2023 at 11:57 am
Why do people keep advocating for Carr? Raiders fans hate his guts
February 1st, 2023 at 11:58 am
@NEFan
He’s clearly saying you and other patriots fans who strayed into bucs fandom solely for Brady, are fans w/o at home. Inferring now that Brady is retired, you might be behind on your patriot fandom and you certainly have no reason to be Bucs fans anymore, so you and like minded fans are basically football hobos, vagabonds, or tramps
February 1st, 2023 at 12:01 pm
NEfan Says:
February 1st, 2023 at 11:51 am
Can anyone on this site decipher oneilsuckyall’s post? I have NO idea what he is trying to say. He has to be a relative of BL. I almost forgot scru you Doc & Duane, missed your names in my previous post.
He’s laughing at you because your favorite player retired and the Patriots suck. Then he said you should go back to New England websites and hope the real Patriots fans forgive you for cheering for a different team.
February 1st, 2023 at 12:02 pm
I like the idea of getting Derek Carr or tanking (doing a proper tank which guarantees #1) . Either way I am glad to move on as last year was painfully hard to watch. Cannot repeat last year for nothing.
February 1st, 2023 at 12:03 pm
Even if it may just be a rumor, I feel honored as a Bucs fan that the King of American Football considered Bucs as the only possible destination besides retirement. I believe him. As much as he cares about winning, he also likely cares about playing with people that truly want him.
February 1st, 2023 at 12:26 pm
Some of you are clearly the life of the party wherever you go, I couldn’t imagine being so pessimistic about everything. This team will have challenges no doubt but I believe they have a plan and will execute. The NFC South is not a juggernaut division it can be won, just a couple of more pieces and we will be ok. I predict a winning record next year. You heard it here first.
Also no way Bowles is a lame duck HC unless he absolutely bombs, he just won the division albeit with a losing record but he is going to be here at least 2 years.Some of you are clearly the life of the party wherever you go, I couldn’t imagine being so pessimistic about everything. This team will have challenges no doubt but I believe they have a plan and will execute. The NFC South is not a juggernaut division it can be won, just a couple of more pieces and we will be ok. I predict a winning record next year. You heard it here first.
February 1st, 2023 at 12:27 pm
Dang my comment got messed up sorry, all in all I have faith in this team and the decision makers, let the process play out and we’ll see where we end up at.
February 1st, 2023 at 12:34 pm
Good luck Tom.
I guess you’ll be broadcasting mostly NFC games so we’ll have plenty of chances to hear you.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:15 pm
I say just cut costs and suck for a couple years to get better draft picks. Bowles is never gonna do it, especially without Brady. No decent OC is coming here with a lame duck HC
February 1st, 2023 at 1:18 pm
So the greatest competitor of all time was presented with two options… play again for Todd Bowles, or retire.
Thanks Todd, good going.
February 1st, 2023 at 1:54 pm
Thanks for the memories Tom!
Can’t believe how many salty posters there are here. Dude got us a SB lol.
February 1st, 2023 at 2:11 pm
Thanks Dooley and Jack Clark, glad you both understand broken English. I’ll take it into consideration. Question was Bill O’Brien a potential OC for the Bucs? Nevermind I know the answer.
February 1st, 2023 at 2:13 pm
I figured as much.
February 1st, 2023 at 3:14 pm
I’m really glad he didn’t go anywhere else. It would have made him look pretty bad to take this team, have his way with it in a sense, and when it fell apart just ditch it to move onto a new model.
February 1st, 2023 at 3:35 pm
Thank you, Tom!
Most of all, you went out on your own terms as a Buc!
My apologies for doubting your loyalty.
Thank you.
Go Bucs!
February 1st, 2023 at 4:23 pm
Time to suck for another 10 years but hey it was probably worth it. 2 division titles and 1 championship in 3 years. All those prime time games along with having the Goat to end his career here. I don’t know if it will ever get any better than that. It was a fun ride.