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The quarterback played in New England for 20 years, now for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He obviously took the success with him. Why is that indicative of Tom Brady?
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Stuttgart – Tom Brady was number 199. When the 22-year-old fellow, the quarterback for the Wolverines from the University of Michigan, was selected in the sixth of seven draft rounds in April 2000, no murmur went through the theater at Madison Square Garden in New York. Brady was brought in by the New England Patriots as playmaker number four, replacing the substitute’s substitute. Tom Brady was underrated. With an indomitable will like boxer Rocky Balboa (aka Sylvester Stallone), he fought his way to second place behind quarterback Drew Bledsoe in the rookie season.
Brady won the Superbowl nine times with the Patriots
The rest of the story is as familiar to football fans as the New Testament is to Christians. Brady founded an era with head coach Bill Belichick – he moved into the Superbowl nine times with the Patriots, six times he won the Vince Lombardy Trophy there, and four times he was voted the most valuable player in the NFL final. When the league’s most successful playmaker’s contract expired in early 2020 and Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, some blasphemed that the oldie, like many retirees, retired to warm Florida.
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Brady was again underrated. After the 30:20 over the New Orleans Saints, the 43-year-old is in the play-off semi-finals for the 14th time, where the Bucs will meet the Green Bay Packers on Sunday (9 p.m. / Pro Sieben). The Pirates had only reached the play-offs twice since their foray when they boarded the Oakland Raiders in the Superbowl in January 2003, but failed in round one. Many had doubted that Brady, who had only given balls on the field for New England for two decades, could lead a new team to success. Answer: Yes, Brady doesn’t just do patriots.
The attack
The native Californian waived money in Tampa, he could have asked for more than 12.5 million euros annually, young quarterback star Patrick Mahomes collects a good 37 million euros from defending champion Kansas City Chiefs – Brady is satisfied with less. Because less is more. In the NFL there is a salary limit for every club, so the Buccaneers had more financial leeway to hire qualified personnel for the star in attack. Brady had barely hired the Bucs when running back Leonard Fournette from Jacksonville followed, Tight end Rob Gronkowski, once a congenial partner of Brady with the Patriots, announced his resignation, and even wide receiver Antonio Brown, who was not easy to care for, took part in the offense. All of them fit into the salary structure without relinquishing an important actor. In Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Tampa already had two exceptionally gifted passport catchers. “I love the teammates I have,” says Brady, the star, “that’s why I never want to let them down.”
The system
There is no contradiction that the Bucs employ excellent ball catchers, although Brady is not considered a quarterback with the best throwing arm and he prefers short passes to 20 yards. The option of being able to attach the wide pass at any time makes the offense less predictable. In addition, the club has strengthened the offensive line that protects the quarterback from attacks – with success: The defensive wall around Brady takes fifth place in the NFL ranking, the boss usually gets enough time for his throws. And then there is head coach Bruce Arians, who is considered a quarterback whisperer, who trained and refined Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck and Carson Palmer. Even the experienced Brady could still learn something.
Mentality
Brady is characterized by his unconditional will to win, which he brought with him to Tampa, which he lives in the dressing room as on the field – and the team follows him. “Tom behaves like a trainer,” says head coach Arians, “it’s a never-ending thing for him, he’s a perfectionist, he always wants to do everything right.” The 43-year-old has never forgotten that he is often around his Regular place had to fight. He had to assert himself in college, later with the Patriots. Again and again he had to prove that he can achieve great things. Now Brady is missing two wins for his seventh title – not with the Patriots, but with the Buccaneers. And many did not trust him to do that either.
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