Appearing on his weekly podcast with longtime collaborator Jim Gray, Tom Brady had a lot to get off his chest, discussing everything from his sideline temper tantrum Sunday, to recent comments by Ryan Fitzpatrick, referencing a viral remark made by Brady last year when the future Hall-of-Famer dismissed an unnamed quarterback as “that motherf---er.”
“We were just not executing very well and I think that it’s been something that’s come up with the Saints now the last four regular season games against them. We just have not found a way to get out of our own way. There are too many unforced errors, too many plays where we have the opportunity to do the right thing and make the play and we just don’t,” said Brady, whose frustration was evident against the Saints, hurling a tablet after the Bucs went into the locker room with zero first-half points. “I have this expectation of performance for all of us and I know how good we can be. I know the caliber and the quality of player that we have, which allows us to be successful. There’s a very high standard that we’ve all set. I think there’s a part of us where we all feel like we’re capable of making every play, and that’s not the reality of football.”
Playing without star receivers Chris Godwin and Julio Jones, nothing came easy for Tampa in Week 2, winning ugly on the road at New Orleans, a team that, historically, has given Brady fits. Ever the perfectionist, Brady knows the Bucs are a work in progress, though accepting that reality is much easier said than done. Prone to flying off the handle, Brady’s legendary intensity is part of what makes him great, though that same trait can also be his undoing. The 45-year-old knows he crossed a line with his behavior Sunday, setting a poor example for younger teammates who rely on his leadership.
“Remaining poised is really important, which I didn’t do a very good job of [Sunday], and I’ve got to be really mindful of that going forward and getting my emotions in place so it allows me to be the best player I can be. I think there’s an importance where you can become too overly emotional, which I definitely think I was [Sunday],” said Brady, who will require weekly maintenance throughout the season, no longer practicing on Wednesdays. “In the end, you got to be very satisfied with the victory. And I think part of that’s the challenge of being an older athlete. The frustration of not being perfect builds up.”
Sunday’s chaos included a confrontation between Brady and Saints Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore, which escalated into an all-out brawl when Mike Evans came rushing to Brady’s defense, resulting in Lattimore and Evans both being ejected. Evans was subsequently disciplined by the NFL, receiving a one-game suspension that will keep him from suiting up against the Packers in Week 3.
“I don’t think it deserved any kind of suspension. I think that’s ridiculous,” said Brady on Monday’s episode of Let’s Go! “Obviously, if I don’t run down there to argue with the call, it could not have happened. If things weren’t said back and forth between both teams, it could have been avoided. There’s a lot of things that go into it and a lot of things at fault, so I don’t think Mike should be the one to be blamed or singled out.”
During an uncomfortable appearance last week on The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, former quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, now a studio analyst for Amazon’s coverage of Thursday Night Football, insisted he was the subject of Brady’s now infamous rant on The Shop, recalling a team that inexplicably turned him down during his whirlwind free agency in 2020. Brady still won’t reveal the identity of “that motherf---er," though now we can cross at least one name off the list.
“I like to keep them guessing, but unfortunately with this coming out, I’d have to tell him, it wasn’t [Fitzpatrick],” said Brady, admitting his “that motherf---er” quip may have been the product of too much tequila. “I love Ryan but somehow, he’s got it out for me. Ryan’s a hell of a guy too, and I’ve competed against him. He’s a Harvard guy, now he looks like he’s part homeless, and now he’s on TV, doing my future job. I think Ryan’s got a good thing going, I’m not sure why he needs to think I’m after him.”
For the sake of both his health and marriage, most anticipate this will be Brady’s NFL swan song, as the seven-time champion alluded to on last week’s podcast with Gray, acknowledging his body has already taken a beating this year, taking longer to heal than in past seasons.
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