Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback Tom Brady has been riding the wave since shocking the NFL by unretiring after spending just over a month away from the game earlier this offseason. While preparing for a 23rd season in the league, Brady has also found the time to win a competitive game of golf in ‘The Match’ alongside Aaron Rodgers and appear on a movie set with fellow former Patriots, Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman.
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Despite his ever-increasing age, Brady isn’t slowing down, he’s speeding up. Statistically, he played some of the best football of his career in 2021. Brady threw for a career-high 5,316 yards with 43 touchdown passes to just 12 interceptions. The 43 touchdowns marked his second-most scores ever in a season. He did all this while completing 67.5% of his passes which slots in as his second-best completion percentage ever.
In a recent article from Sports Illustrated where Conor Orr made 100 bold predictions for the upcoming season, he penned two blurbs on Brady. Orr predicts the future Hall of Famer to take a step back through the air in 2022. But not because of a drop-off in performance. Orr thinks that Tampa Bay will be a run-heavy team under new head coach Todd Bowles.
“30. Tom Brady will throw fewer than 35 touchdown passes
Doubting the greatest player in NFL history. What could go wrong! Just so this doesn’t get lobbed up for someone to dunk on me, the Buccaneers will be a dominant, run-heavy team in 2022, allowing Brady to be more of a table-setter.”
The second prediction may cause Orr to draw the ire of Tampa Bay fans. He forecasts that Brady isn’t back for one more dance. Instead, Orr believes that the 44-year-old will look to prolong his career and that it might not be with the Buccaneers.
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It’s possible that Brady draws more suitors in free agency than two years ago when his contract expires after the season. Then again, is he going to find a better scenario to end out his career after the way the Buccaneers have fortified the roster since Brady signed on in 2020?
“53. Tom Brady will affirm his desire to play in 2023 … but not necessarily in Tampa
As we wrote a while back, Brady felt vice-gripped in New England. He is now desired, a marketable star worth millions carrying his own offense to the highest bidder. Tampa Bay was one of the few teams in contention during an uncertain free agency in 2020. That won’t be the case in ’23.”
Regardless of if these bold predictions come true, Brady will be making history when he takes the field in a few months. His longevity is historical and he’s played at such a high level for so long that it’s being taken for granted.
Brady’s chase for ring eight begins this month as the team reconvenes for Mandatory Mini-Camp next week. Tampa Bay will be looking for its second championship in three years.
Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the offseason.
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