In 2000, it was impossible to think that quarterback Tom Brady will have a Hall of Fame-bound career in the NFL. Brady was the seventh quarterback selected in the 2000 NFL Draft, behind Chad Pennington, Giovanni Carmazzi, Chris Redman, Tee Martin, Marc Bulger, and Spergon Wynn. Worse, the New England Patriots already have a starting quarterback in Drew Bledsoe, and Brady, as the 199th overall pick, has a slim to none chance of making the 53-man roster with two more quarterbacks -- Michael Bishop and John Friesz -- ahead of him in the depth chart.
But the Patriots decided to carry him as a fourth quarterback in the 2000 season, a wasted roster spot as coach Bill Belichick called it. This did not deter Brady from working hard, which paid off the following season as he won the backup role behind Bledsoe. In Week 2 of the 2001 season, Brady was named starter after Bledsoe suffered a season-ending injury, and the rest was history as the Patriots won the first of their six Super Bowl trophies that year. Now, Brady, who signed a two-year deal worth $50 million with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the offseason, is using his personal experience to set an example and give advice to players who are languishing down the depth chart and seeking more playing time.
In his Thursday’s press conference ahead of the Buccaneers’ clash with the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Brady stressed that every player on the team has a vital role to play. “Those guys need to take advantage of those opportunities. That's how I got my start," Brady said, referring to his personal experience, per a report by Dave Green of NBC Sports Boston.
Brady says players must take advantage of opportunity
Brady said in 2001, he thought that he was the Patriots’ third-string quarterback, but his fortune changed when he assumed the starting quarterback position two weeks into the year. “You’ve got to take advantage of your opportunity because you don’t know when you’re going to get it,” said Brady, adding that he stressed that every day to young players.
The 43-year-old Brady added that every player has a chance to make an impression and build trust in his teammate or coach every day in practice. “So that when you get the opportunity, you go and take advantage of it and you never look back,” Brady said.
Buccaneers to allow fans in Week 4
Following Florida’s relaxed rules on gatherings as part of its reopening plan, the Buccaneers will start welcoming fans to Raymond James Stadium beginning with their Week 4 home game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 4. The Buccaneers said they will have a soft opening by allowing their longest-tenured season pass members to attend the second home game of 2020, per a report on the team’s official website.
Ultimately, the Buccaneers will be eyeing to fill 25 percent of their stadium, but with strict adherence to health protocols. For the Chargers game, the team said season pass members with continuous membership since 1998 or earlier will have the first opportunity to purchase a limited number of tickets beginning on Oct. 1.