Jason Licht: Tom Brady Had No Demands Regarding 2022 Return
March 31st, 2022
GM Jason Licht
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht was taking the big questions today on Peacock network, and his answers were smooth and easy.
Did Tom Brady have demands in order to return to the Bucs’ roster this season? asked host Rich Eisen.
“He’s not like that. He’s not one to say, hey, ‘We really need this player,” Licht replied before noting that Brady did talk to him in 2020 about adding Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown.
Eisen continued: Did Brady need a sales job to play for Todd Bowles?
Per Licht, Brady was told by Bucco Bruce Arians of the plan to have him step down as head coach roughly two days after Brady said he would return (though Licht later said he wasn’t sure of the exact day that Brady was informed). Licht pained a picture of Arians having long talk with Brady to explain his motivation.
Regardless, per Licht, the conversation was no Bowles pitch with fingers-crossed that Brady was cool with the decision.
“Bruce didn’t have to do a good sales job on his assistants. It speaks for itself. So, you know, there was never any demand [from Brady]. I can promise you that,” Licht said. “He’s not like that. He’s not a demanding person.”
One big happy family at One Buc Palace.
March 31st, 2022 at 11:16 pm
The narrative being spun isn’t that B.A needed to convince Brady to trust in Bowles or the assistants. It’s that B.A being out as coach was a condition of Brady’s return. There hasn’t been any outright denial by TB or proof otherwise but if the relationship between TB and BA were that toxic, those 2 men did an outstanding job of hiding their animosity.
March 31st, 2022 at 11:40 pm
If it was health reasons, wouldn’t BA say so? Plus 3 years in with us amd he’s getting into the ring of fame already…. All I’m saying is the “official” story doesn’t add up
March 31st, 2022 at 11:41 pm
It is just people who don’t want to hear about Tampa Bay or acknowledge anything good about the BUCS… trying to drive a stake into what was accomplished by Brady, BA, and this whole Bucs organization.
Frankly it becomes nauseating to listen to sometimes.
Brady is not the all-controlling monster that some seem to want to paint him to be. He just is not. Never has been. And he genuinely likes being around BA. There is a reason we saw a happy go lucky side of Tom at times that we have never seen before.
April 1st, 2022 at 12:07 am
The only person who publicly had an issue with Arians is Antonio Brown. Every other player, past and present, says great things about Arians. If Arians is truly a nightmare coach to work with, wouldnt more of these players have bolted out of here the last few years instead of taking hometown discounts and restructures to stay? The narrative of Arians being the bad guy just doesn’t add up.
If Brady had serious problems with Arians, he’s in a small minority with guys like AB. Which is not good company to be in.
April 1st, 2022 at 12:20 am
Now let’s build a dynasty defense in Tampa again coach Bowles.
April 1st, 2022 at 12:28 am
It’s just a bunch of rumor. Until there’s proof that Brady had something to do with Arians stepping aside because they couldn’t work together, I’m not buying it.
April 1st, 2022 at 12:32 am
Nothing but garbage from garbage pseudo journalists throwing things at the wall to see what will stick.
Bruce said why he did what he did. Says relationship with Brady is fantastic. LICHT said basically the same thing. Brady made no demands that BA step down from being coach. It’s ludicrous there’s so many buccaneer fans here believe this nonsense
April 1st, 2022 at 12:37 am
Brady is a leader that players want to follow.
April 1st, 2022 at 12:47 am
David – Agree 💯
April 1st, 2022 at 1:23 am
“Brady hasn’t denied it” Brady spends zero mental energy worrying about the nonsense anonymous sources come up with. Bruce obviously knows Tom has no problem with him, so why else would Tom even need to deny it? So that a bunch of fake fans that love to gossip can say “Yeah, but he obviously didn’t mean that, he HAD to say it.”
Give me a break.
April 1st, 2022 at 1:58 am
It’s conspiracy theorist, reporters who need to milk a story and disgruntled Patriots fans who come here wit fake inside info. If their own team was any good they wouldn’t be here everyday. When was the last time we visited a Pats site? Never… because our own team is relevant we don’t have to go troll snore tams site. Bottom line is Brady is a player who made an emotional decision after a disappointing loss to retire and spend time with family and his business. After a couple months of seeing the NFL move on without him, he realized he missed it, and given he went out with plenty game left, changed his mind. None of that likely had anything to do with the Coach. Likewise the Coach’s decision to step down was probably simply a 70 year old who coached for over 40 years and accomplished all his goals not motivated to go through the grind again.
April 1st, 2022 at 2:16 am
Brady harbor negative vibes why what for. But Tom comeon we know AB has texted you of couse he also DW letting him know his name was brown. Any chance or Edelman
April 1st, 2022 at 3:14 am
The whole middle school girl rumor mill game that goes on is exhausting.
BA is loved by his players, past and present.
The NFL is an exclusive fraternity, and TB12 would not be welcome to hang at the club if the many members of the club who played for BA and love BA know that any of this gossip is actually real.
Having a coach like BA is rare. There are a lot of bad coaches. BA is one of the great coaches. Playing for a great coach is special.
Larry Fitzgerald is a HOF player and HOF person.
Read why he was awarded NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
Larry Fitzgerald bought BA a Mercedes Benz because BA got hurt during a celebration at a game that involved BA and Larry Fitzgerald.
That shows you how much BA’s players love him.
All this gossip about BA is coming from people who want to make TB12 and BA look bad because they are jealous of both men’s success.
They need to make TB12 and BA look bad so they can make themselves feel better.
It’s sad.
April 1st, 2022 at 4:15 am
Amen to David and Belle
April 1st, 2022 at 4:32 am
Why can’t some of us just believe what people say? Brady and Arians got along fine, won a Championship together and weren’t far from a second. Stop with the drama. Brady wouldn’t have come back to Tampa if there was all this animosity within the organization. GOBUCS!
April 1st, 2022 at 8:01 am
I think it’s the opposite now. Brady decided to return but then realized Bowles would be running the team and wanted a trade to Miami. He is even sending messages on social media about miamis speed at receiver which I found really odd. This is definitely Tampas last year with Brady. They messed up with signing Bowles and for 5 years??? What a terrible decision. I hope I eat these words but I truly doubt it. No chance of longterm success. He will find a way to screw this season up just like he did in the Rams game last season to end our season. Wow is all I can say!
April 1st, 2022 at 8:32 am
Pa bucs fan
Go root for the Steelers or eagles with that negative energy Tom wants to be here Bowles is a great coach I hope you eat your words to you probably became a fan when Brady came you should be excited for the upcoming season real bucs fan from Tampa are excited the city lit and ready for another Super Bowl run
April 1st, 2022 at 8:33 am
So PA….Tom knew Bowles was going to be coach and came back. …we resigned critical players to in many cases 2 and 3 year deals. And your thoughts is he will be a disaster and screw up the season. So Tom is wrong right? That’s your thought. This just in.. Tom knows more about football and what it takes to win it all…than all of us put together. Especially these media hacks that are looking to be relevant with obsurd scenarios. Betting against what Tom knows and does is a guaranteed loss…ask the teams and media guess boys over the last 22 years that bet against him. Yes Bowles s–t the bed massively with the zero blitz call to end last season….but Tom came back from retirement because of the plan we have to take another title. Nothing else needs to be said
April 1st, 2022 at 8:53 am
People like to read and hear dirty laundry. I think its a great move by BA and the Bucs. BA was the overseer of the team and as he said in the press conference he let the coordinators run the team. It was his philosophy but the coordinators ran the team and called the plays. Was like that for 3 years here. I think this was the plan from the start of his tenure here. All this other bull is just talk. I kinda agree that this most likely will be Brady’s last year with the team and he wants another run at a Super Bowl here. After this year who knows. Man it was a Crazy month of change for the NFL. All the QB, Free Agent and now Head Coach changes!
April 1st, 2022 at 9:01 am
To hear anyone say that TB12 “isn’t demanding “ is comical.
The idea that TB12 (90%of what I tell the press is BS), or anyone in the FO would tell you there was friction, whether or not there was.. even more comical
That being said .. why BA is moving on doesn’t really matter. Time to move on. All this chatter is just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.. so to speak.
April 1st, 2022 at 10:06 am
Your headline says: ” Tom Brady had no demands” 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣………… sorry I can’t stop laughing!!!!!!