Tom Brady dodges anti-Patriots question ahead of NFC title game
By Jerry Trotta
Buccaneers QB Tom Brady sidestepped a question about whether the Patriots allowed him to coach.
As soon as Tom Brady revealed his intentions to sign with Tampa Bay last offseason, the media took it upon themselves to pin him and the Patriots against one another. In predictable fashion, that narrative was amplified ten fold the second either side faced controversy during the season.
This resulted in Brady receiving unfair criticism from the fan base, even though it was his new teammates and coaches that consistently slandered the Patriots. Just last week, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians brazenly claimed that the 43-year-old quarterback wasn’t allowed to coach up his teammates during his time in New England and that he’s afforded the QB that opportunity.
When asked to clarify Arians’ comments, however, Brady admirably took the high road and opted against bashing his former team. In doing so, he also stressed just how much he appreciates all that he accomplished with the Patriots.
Tom Brady dodged question on Bruce Arians saying he wasn't allowed to coach in NE: It's been fun just being here & I had a great time in New England, too. I've had a great 21 years. I'm very blessed. I'm a lucky guy. The fact that I'm still playing football is a blessing for me.
— Ryan Hannable (@RyanHannable) January 22, 2021
We’ve conveyed (or at least tried to) that Brady wasn’t responsible for Tampa Bay’s seemingly season-long agenda to slight the Patriots, and if him dodging this question doesn’t prove that, then you clearly have a personal vendetta against him for leaving.
If that wasn’t enough to convince you, go look at the receipts. There have been multiple instances this season in which Brady was perfectly positioned to malign the Patriots and not once did he jump at the opportunity to do so. And regardless of what some folks might tell you, Brady enjoying playing in sunny Tampa compared to Foxborough’s year-round frigid climate, doesn’t mean he hated playing in New England, either.
Bruce Arians' praise of Tom Brady's leadership might have also included a shot at the quarterback's former team:https://t.co/flgsd9hVdP
— NESN (@NESN) January 18, 2021
If anything, have beef with Arians, who, for some reason, felt empowered enough to take shots at the most successful franchise in league history despite the fact that he needed Brady to advance beyond the Divisional Round for the first time in his seven years as a head coach in the NFL. He was the only reason the three-time MVP had to answer this question in the first place.