Tom Brady and the Buccaneers received their Super Bowl rings last Thursday before they opened training camp over the weekend.
Brady gave a passionate speech, which was released over the weekend courtesy of Rick Stoud of the Tampa Bay Times.
It was hard not to notice the similarities of what he said Thursday compared to what he said countless times in New England around Super Bowls.
“We talked about it a little bit in the locker room before the (Super Bowl) game," Brady said. "A night like this, what this means for us and obviously what this means to our families for life. You’re going to be able to show this ring for the rest of your life and we’re going to know what went into it. We’re going to know what we learned from it. As (offensive coordinator) Byron (Leftwich) said, the memories, the experiences, the relationships we have from this.”
He also brought up his pregame speech before the game.
“We have the team on the front of our jerseys. We have our families on the back of our jerseys. Our families are honored for life," the QB said.
Brady did recall being a free agent for the first time in his career and choosing to join the Buccaneers.
“I think about 21 years I’ve played in the NFL. Twenty years going into last year. I was a free agent and I didn’t know what my career was going to be, you know? A lot of you guys were young when I got drafted. I was a sixth-round pick. You know, I was the 199th pick and I never forgot that. I still haven’t forgot that to this day. I have a lot of perspective on where I was at one point in my life.
“Not a lot of teams ever thought I would do a lot for them. Not a lot of teams believed in what I thought I could accomplish for that team. I was at one organization and I learned a lot. When I had an opportunity to choose another place, it’s the first time I had an opportunity to choose. Devin (White), you didn’t get to choose. Lavonte (David) didn’t choose. Mike (Evans), you didn’t choose. You got picked.
“I got a chance to choose. And you know, everybody always says, ‘Why the Bucs, man? Why did you choose the Bucs?’ And it was a no- brainer. It was a no-brainer. Who wouldn’t want to play with Mike (Evans) and Chris (Godwin) and Scotty (Miller)? A.B. (Antonio Brown) came.”
Brady then went on to name virtually every player on the roster, which is something he did a bunch of in New England.
“I knew what Gronk was all about," he said. "Hey, if you are ever in a foxhole, and I hope none us ever are, you want Gronk there with you. ... I didn’t want to play against (Ndamukong) Suh and J.P.P. (Jason Pierre-Paul) any more. I’m so happy I’m on their team. That young secondary that nobody ever thought would do [expletive]. Look what you did!
“In the end, you think, why did you come here? I came here to be with you guys. I chose here because of you guys. I had a choice. ... I could name the whole team. Everybody stepped up when they needed to. We played our best in the biggest moments. 8-0 right after Thanksgiving. That’s when championship teams play like champions.”
As for this year, Brady said they don't have to defend anything.
“That feeling we have tonight is about joy,” he said. “Everyone who gets up here, it’s an amazing moment, because we get to experience something nobody can take away from us. We don’t have to defend anything. They can’t take this ring away.”
