The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are currently second in the NFC South with a 7-3 mark, a significant turnaround compared to their previous season.
Analysts point to veteran quarterback Tom Brady's arrival as key to the team's considerable improvement this season. The 43-year-old Brady has completed 254 of 385 passes for 2,739 yards and 23 touchdowns with seven interceptions. Despite his age, Brady has stepped his production on the ground as he added three rushing yards, matching the output of Baltimore Ravens versatile signal-caller Lamar Jackson. However, Brady's value to the Buccaneers goes beyond his performance on the field as he serves as a good influence on the team's young players this season.
Arians stresses Brady's value to team
In an interview on the Rich Eisen Show, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians underscored Brady's contribution to the team off the field, particularly teaching young players, helping them improve their plays significantly. "I think the biggest thing and how great a job he does with young players. It's like having another coach out there," Arians told Eisen, as transcribed by the author from the show's YouTube video.
According to Arians, there was an instance that he told a player about pumping his arms several times but did not get any reaction. However, the said player immediately obliged when he instructed him to do what the coach told him to do. During the interview, Arians said he loves everything about Brady, calling him an ultimate competitor.
During the interview, Arians' statement was a far cry from his pronouncement about Brady after their 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints. After that loss, Arians called out Brady's poor performance, which included three interceptions, in that game. However, many analysts came to Brady's defense, saying the head coach should be blamed for the loss as he failed to make the necessary adjustments to the Saints' style of play.
Brady speaks about the characteristics of great players
With six Super Bowl trophies to his credit, Brady is considered the greatest of all time (GOAT) in the NFL. Brady also has several NFL records to his name, including the most wins by a starting quarterback in NFL history with 226 in the regular season and 30 in the playoffs.
During his interview with legendary sportscaster Jim Gray on Fox Nation's "Talking to GOATs," Brady admitted that he's obsessed with winning and achieving perfection. The veteran quarterback is a proven winner during his 20-year stint with the New England Patriots, and he insisted that he retained his winning mindset when he signed a two-year deal with the Buccaneers in the offseason. Brady is trying to bring the Buccaneers to their first playoff appearance since 2007 and first Super Bowl trophy since 2003.
