USA TODAY International Edition
Bucs’ Brady knows ‘ clock is ticking’
A familiar smile played on Tom Brady’s lips, and he rocked his TB12 ball cap while kicking off the first news conference of his 21st- year NFL training camp.
But the Tampa Bay Buccaneers backdrop and the fact that he spoke into a computer screen through Zoom and not in front of a swarm of reporters served as strong reminders of just how drastically life has changed for the future Hall of Fame quarterback.
When he packed his six Super Bowl rings and moved his wife and kids from New England this spring, Brady did so in search of a challenge. Boy, does he ever have one on his hands now.
However, fortunately for the quarterback and his new team, the best way for him to meet the demands at hand is to rely on the strengths that have carried him throughout his storied career, even if he finds himself in unfamiliar territory.
When he made his move, Brady anticipated the typical relocation hurdles. But the coronavirus pandemic only further handicapped his acclimation process. The landscape has intensified the pressure to live up to expectations – of the Bucs and their fans, as well as his own.
“The clock is ticking,” Brady noted Thursday.
But the tests of time are nothing new for the 43- year- old.
For years now, he has worked to fend off Father Time while pursuing Lombardi Trophies beyond his 40th birthday. Now, however, Brady needs to slow time during the next month so he can grown comfortable in his new surroundings.
Every NFL team is grappling with limitations amid the pandemic.
But for the first time in nearly two decades, Brady feels as if he’s at a disadvantage.
Robbed by the pandemic of a traditional offseason program, he has yet to partake in his first full- on Bucs practice. And just 10 days into training camp – which to this point has featured only COVID- 19 tests, virtual meetings, walkthroughs and strength and conditioning workouts – Brady still finds himself learning the names of teammates and acclimating to a new playbook.
Had he remained in New England, Brady would have ranked among the most unfazed players in the league during such a drastically altered offseason. But gone is the luxury of familiarity that 20 seasons with the same franchise afforded him, and new challenges present themselves at every corner – literally.
Whether trying to remember which intersection to take on his drive to work, or which halls to go down and doors to enter en route to the locker room or meeting rooms, Brady now constantly finds himself thinking.
Not until now did Brady realize the level of offseason and preseason autopilot mode he had settled into with the Patriots – mentally, that is. His physical offseason preparation process has long consisted of rigorous workouts.
But he knew New England’s offense inside and out and admittedly never had to study the playbook at this time of year.
“I really haven’t had to do that in 19 years. You forget. Man, that’s really tough – all the different terminologies. You’re really going back a long time in my career to really have to put the mental energy in like I did,” Brady said. “The reality is, the clock is ticking on everybody and we’re going to have to work as hard as we can and not waste any minutes of any day trying to get used to one another, embrace the challenge and see what we can become.”
Although the situation is less than ideal, Brady and the Bucs can still count themselves lucky in one very significant aspect.
Acclimating to a new system and surroundings in an abbreviated time frame requires great mental fortitude, and Brady’s mind remains one of his greatest strengths.
It’s hard to find a better acumen in the NFL player ranks. His knowledge of offensive and defensive concepts is second to none.
If anyone can adjust despite the obstacles at hand, it’s Brady.
He gave himself a head start during those self- led player workouts at a park in the Tampa area. Although he finds himself speaking a new football language now, he understands the concepts and how Bruce Arians and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich want to attack defenses.
Already, we’ve seen video clips of Brady directing traffic and breaking plays down to teammates, and those are just in walk- throughs. He may not feel comfortable, but he still knows the playbook as well, if not better than, many of his teammates. Once the games begin, Brady’s experience and instincts will take over, and that’s exactly what the Bucs want.
There are no demands for Brady to reinvent himself as he dons a new uniform.
Having inserted him into an offense that has no shortage of weapons, Arians and Leftwich don’t even need Brady to be a magician. If he can continue to recognize and manipulate defenses and position teammates for success, the Bucs like their chances.
So, too, does Brady.
“Ultimately, my goal is to go out there and do what I’ve always done: to be the best I can possibly be for the team,” he said.
“I’ve tried to catch passes in my career. I’ve tried to make blocks. I’ve had a few runs.
“But I’m not very good at any of those. I think my best ability is reading defenses and throwing the football.”
Bucs’ brass signed Brady in hopes that he would raise the level of accountability in the locker room, and already he is doing just that. Everyone wants to match the standard that their new leader is setting.
The clock is ticking, yes. But leading up to the season, Brady seems likely to find ways to maximize time yet again.