Brad Johnson was the quarterback when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their first Super Bowl title in the 2002 season with a 42-21 win over the then-Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. Now, Tom Brady would duplicate Johnson’s feat on Sunday when he leads the Buccaneers against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. Before he retired in 2008, Johnson was with the Minnesota Vikings when he got the chance to face Brady, who was then with the New England Patriots, during a Monday Night Football game in 2006.
“One time, I faced him on Monday Night Football, and he beat my brains in,” Johnson said during an interview on 10 Tampa Bay, the local affiliate of CBS.
Brady torched the Vikings in that game, completing 29 of 43 passes for 372 yards and four touchdowns with an interception as the Patriots cruised to a comfortable 31-7 win. For his part, Johnson was completely outplayed as he completed just 20 of 33 passes for 185 yards and three picks.
Johnson amazed by Brady’s accomplishments
While Johnson called it a career 13 years ago, Brady is still competing and going for his seventh Super Bowl ring in 10 appearances to the big game. “I’ve been sitting on the couch for a long time watching that guy play a lot of ball games, and now he’s leading the Bucs back to the Super Bowl,” Johnson said, per David Belleville of WTSP.com. The retired quarterback also called Brady’s accomplishments “amazing,” adding that “he looks like he’s 28 years old.” Johnson said Brady looks sharp as a tack, and he has kept his body in shape by focusing on the right nutrition.
Johnson also praised Brady’s decision-making, accuracy, and ability to deliver in the clutch despite his age.
Brady could set a record in merchandise sales
Fanatics, the NFL’s official e-commerce partner, said there’s a high demand for Brady’s merchandise, including jerseys, T-shirts, and other items -- in two weeks between the conference championship and Super Bowl.
Per Jenna Laine of ESPN, Fanatics reported that Brady had become their best-selling NFL player ever during the said period. According to Fanatics, Brady could set a new record for sales ahead of the Super Bowl. Brady’s merchandise has also drawn strong support in the Northeast, meaning that Patriots fans follow Brady even though he’s no longer with the team.
Brady signed a two-year deal worth $50 million with the Buccaneers in the offseason after 20 years with the Patriots. During his time with the Patriots, Brady topped the NFLPA’s jersey sales in 2018 and 2019. When he joined the Buccaneers in March, his jersey sales went up by 900 percent. For this season, Brady trails Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes when it comes to jersey sales.
