How does Brady relate now to Montana’s exit?
Tom Brady did not speak Tuesday about the modern-day 49ers, nor did he hint of any regrets about not joining them and resuming his trophy-laden career in his native Bay Area.
Brady did take a trip down memory lane during his media conference call as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ new quarterback, as broadcast live on ESPN and NFL.com.
He harkened back to his childhood days worshiping the 49ers, their quarterbacks and even that ancient land known as Candlestick Park.
Surely now he can relate to watching his idol, Joe Montana, leave the 49ers for the Kansas City Chiefs after the 1992 season, right?
“I was at Joe’s last game at
Candlestick Park. I actually went up there and saw it with my friend,” Brady said of Montana’s curtain call, a Dec. 28, 1992 win over the Detroit Lions. “I’ll never forget that. He was an incredible player.
“He and Steve Young were my quarterback idols growing up.”
Young, of course, started his NFL career with the Buccaneers, to which he recently joked on ESPN about being the MVP of their 2-14 team in 1986 before being traded as Montana’s eventual successor.
Brady, a San Mateo native and Serra High graduate, made a more famous trip to Candlestick Park some 38 years ago. He was in sitting in the upper deck when Montana found Dwight Clark for “The Catch,” keying the 1981 team’s NFC-clinching win that launched the 49ers’ Su
per Bowl-winning dynasty.
Montana finished his Pro Football Hall of Fame career by playing two seasons with the Chiefs. Brady’s contract with the Bucs: two years.
After winning six Super Bowl titles in nine trips during his 20 years as the Patriots quarterback, Brady left in free agency last week and reportedly chose the Buccaneers’ offer ($50 million) over the Los Angeles Chargers’.
Brady was not asked whether the 49ers were among the teams that courted him. Fresh off falling in Super Bowl LIV, the 49ers have not wavered in their public commitment to quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Brady’s backup on the Patriots for 3 ½ seasons before his trade to the 49ers in October 2017.
“You know, I just think life, it continues to change for all of us,” Brady said. “Just having the opportunity for me to continue to play football and lead a team is something that I love doing.
“And I’ve loved playing this sport since i was a kid, since I was throwing footballs in the parking lot at Candlestick Park.
“And I still love doing that today. I train hard. I try to keep my body as physically fit as possible. Mentally I try to stay sharp, although it’s going to be a different challenge this year in learning.”
The Buccaneers are not on the 49ers’ 2020 schedule. They could meet in 2021 at Levi’s Stadium if both teams finish in the same place in their respective divisions.
Throughout Tuesday’s media conference call, Brady expressed gratitude and nothing but kind words for the Patriots, including owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick.
Heading to the NFC South and Bucs presents Brady a new challenge, including having to meet new teammates over the phone and video conferences while trying to learn Bruce Arians’ playbook.
“I’ve obviously paid attention to his offense for a long time,” Brady said. “Everybody has different styles and philosophies on how they call things. Football
to me is throwing the football to the guy who is open. If he’s open deep, that’s where you throw it.”
Among the “really talented” Bucs he mentioned: wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, tight ends O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, running back Ronald Jones “and obviously the offensive line.”
Arians said of how they landed Brady to replace former No. 1 overall draft pick Jameis Winston: “We looked at everybody that might be available at the quarterback position, obviously really never dreaming that Tom would be available.
“But if he was, he was going to be our No. 1 choice, mainly because he can do everything we want to do in our offense. But more than that is his leadership ability that we need in our locker room to get where we want to go.”