Steve McLendon Says Rumors Of Rift Between Tom Brady And Bruce Arians Just “Talk”
April 1st, 2022
Bucs DT Steve McLendon.
Why are so many people embracing the second gunman theory of the Bucs’ drama the past two months, that the only way Tom Brady would return is if former Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians stepped aside?
Because it is the only thing that remotely makes sense in a series of moves that makes no sense.
Joe is flabbergasted that an NFL coach driven to win would step away just days after the greatest quarterback of all-time dropped in his lap (again). Who does that, especially less than a month before the draft?
Yeah, Jimmy Johnson left the Cowboys right after the NFL owners meetings in 1995 but the circumstances were not remotely in the same ballpark as Arians’ resignation. With Johnson, it was Jerry Jones, after a few too many Grey Gooses, shooting off his mouth in a bar in front of NFL reporters that he could win games with Barry Switzer. Careful what you wish for.
Team Glazer was not in Palm Beach last week making a public spectacle at a bar in The Breakers saying the Bucs could win Super Bowls with Urban Meyer.
And while Joe has heard from enough trusted sources who are pretty adamant any suggested friction between Arians and Brady pushed Arians out is nonsense, Joe understands why people believe that. It makes much more sense than reality.
Yesterday, Bucs free agent defensive tackle Steve McLendon took to CBS Sports Radio and shot down any suggestions that Brady forced Arians out. And this coming from a long-time veteran in the Bucs locker room.
“That’s just talk,” McLendon told Zach Gelb. “I don’t believe [the rumors]. What I do believe is they won a championship together. They communicated together. They laughed together. They hugged together. I’m not going to say they are brothers, but they have a very close relationship.”
Yes, with this Arians retirement, truth really is stranger than fiction. There is no second gunman. There is no magic bullet. There was only one monster in the school book depository.
The only thing spooking Joe is that with ample time to take to one of his social media accounts or even holler at reporters yesterday while at One Buc Palace, Brady lets his former coach twist in the wind of a disbelieving public and a skeptical press.
Why, Tom?
You can hear the clip of McLendon speaking of the rumors in the CBS Sports Radio audio below.
#Buccaneers DL Steve McLendon says Bruce Arians and Tom Brady are very close and doesn’t believe the rumors that Brady was behind Arians retiring from coaching. @CBSSportsRadio
— Zach Gelb (@ZachGelb) April 1, 2022
April 1st, 2022 at 10:49 am
Why Tom? Because it’s true. Brady best bet is to say nothing about it
April 1st, 2022 at 11:17 am
C’mon Joe, Brady comes out and says he had no problem with BA ,Nick, Colin, Shannon, Mike, Peter, and all the other writers that need clicks will say “well see, the cover up is on, why else would Brady deny anything happened “. When the Jimmy G thing was going on in New England, the story came out that Brady went to Bob Kraft to get rid of Jimmy. Kraft, Brady, Belichek, and even Jimmy G. all said it never happened. To this day, them writers still say that it did. Brady says anything, they’ll tear it apart.
April 1st, 2022 at 11:18 am
No need to comment until Brady got exactly what was ordered. And while the part time golf cart is retiring and put out to pasture, Tom smiles and waves good bye with a fond farewell. Cold blooded assassin.
As they say in the mob, it’s just business. Then they wack the guy.
April 1st, 2022 at 11:43 am
This is just getting stupid now….get a FN grip people
April 1st, 2022 at 11:43 am
Who’s buried in Grant’s tomb?
We will find out where Jimmy Hoffa is or the real ki!!ers of Ron & Nicole before the answers to the Brady/BA question
Why Tom? The same reason the media continues the story…..the attention makes him money.
April 1st, 2022 at 11:45 am
If Brady were to address every conspiracy theory out there about him he wouldn’t have time to play football. Every beat writer for the bucs says it’s bogus if you need more proof than that then it’s on you and wanting to believe what you want to believe.
April 1st, 2022 at 11:58 am
Tom Brady has a saying about not allowing others to force you to respond to everything….its a form of maintaining control of one’s own narrative for their life vs constantly reacting to what others desire for you. For this situation I’m guessing its no different, he and arians know the truth and the perception they have of each other is all that matters. If Brady responds to this….then sites like PFT will only dial up the “rumors” even more creating a perpetual string of click bait. I think its a smart move by Brady and overall a great way to live.
April 1st, 2022 at 12:10 pm
Some radio guy in Boston says, “I wouldn’t be surprised if Brady goes to Miami to play”. For 2 weeks that was the big story. How to them people live with themselves?
April 1st, 2022 at 1:20 pm
It’s just so hard to imagine that Florio and his lapdog Simms could be wrong….
April 1st, 2022 at 1:21 pm
Toughest question is not being asked.
Is Bowles set up to be the fall guy?
I get that you take the job and the money as you age, but…
As a defensive coach, is he going against the grain these days?
Team older. Cap challenges. A lot of coaches etc due for promotions elsewhere.
Sounds like ally Sherman of the giants. Remember he did ok for a while, but after y a left it was painful.
Hope I’m wrong
Hope I’m wrong.
April 1st, 2022 at 4:35 pm
Hi! Just wanted to drop in and say “Florio is a clown, and HUGE Bucs hater.” Soneone high up in the ranks must have diddled his wife’s middle! Cuz this attorney hates our franchise. What the hecklejuice does this bozo know about football? Gotta give him credit for striking it rich being the ultimate troll. He must be a frequent to women’s hair salons with all his rumors, sarcasm, and innuendo. Chris’s Simms can do so much better..
April 1st, 2022 at 7:11 pm
Damn patriots fans….it’s beyond stupid to think Brady retired and only came back if BA was pushed out when he could have said that before announcing he was retiring. If believe he was angling for a trade more than this rumor. He could even get a trade done he has no power over this team but does over the offense with leftwich in charge but he Wouldn’t even be able to punk Bowles line that, you seaman queens just don’t live in reality. The truth is a lot more boring than you want it to be
April 2nd, 2022 at 7:59 am
Sick of these articles.