Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady quickly left the field and did not shake hands with quarterback Jared Goff following their 27-24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football. Brady was criticized for his move, with many saying that he’s not a good sport. The 43-year-old Brady however stressed during his regular interview with Jim Gray on Westwood One Radio that he has nothing against Goff. “I think that’s just a lot of negativity that people try to spew about things that make no sense,” said Brady, as transcribed by the author from the audio of the interview.
Brady added that he had a lot of games in his career that he left off the field for one reason or another without shaking his opponents’ hands.
Brady says he has ton of respect for Goff
“Certainly, I have a ton of respect for Jared, how he plays. Incredible young player,” added Brady, pointing out that he has a lot of mutual friends who are also close to Goff. Brady struggled in their loss to the Rams, completing just 26 of 48 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions as the Buccaneers suffered their fourth loss in 11 games. The veteran quarterback added that he has a great deal of respect for all players in the NFL, acknowledging the sacrifices and commitment the player makes to the game.
While he admits that people’s natural response to a lot of things is very negative and very pessimistic, Brady said there’s a need to fight when dealing with those types of critiques and criticisms. “I think we should focus more on the positive things that are happening in life. Focus on the incredible things life has to offer,” said Brady.
Brady shrugs off Arians comments
After their loss to the Rams, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians called out Brady for his failure to connect with his receivers. Arians added that Brady was confused by the coverage, causing him to miss his targets. During his Friday press conference, Brady simply skipped the issue but stressed that there’s no excuse if they fail to get the job done.
“Our job is to get the job done, so there are no excuses for when we don’t get it done,” Brady said, per a report by Zach Braziller of the New York Post. Brady added it is very disappointing to squander opportunities, especially in his position as quarterback and the ball is in his hands. “It’s something I have to do a better job of,” Brady said.
In his interview with Gray, Brady said he’s hoping to play better when they take on the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, who are four-point favorites over the Buccaneers. “I realize that I got to play at the highest level in order to give our team the best chance possible to win. That’s what I’m gonna do this week,” Brady stressed. The Chiefs, for their part, expect Brady to be at his best when they face off on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium. Earlier, Arians said that their remaining games are must-wins in order to keep up with the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South.