It doesn’t take a genius to realize that Tom Brady struggled this past season in what will end up being his final tour around the NFL calendar.
The 45-year-old signal caller opted to return for the 2023 season after a brief retirement last spring. He proceeded to put up one of the worst performances of his career for a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that struggled to an 8-9 record before losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card Playoffs.
A short while after that loss, Tom Terrific announced his retirement. This time, it seems as if the future first ballot Hall of Famer has called it quits for good.
In speaking on the Rich Eisen Show recently, former Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians pointed to Brady as one of the primary reasons for Tampa Bay’s struggles in 2022.
Arians wasn’t necessarily going after the all-time great. Rather, he talked about how Brady wasn’t himself during the quarterback’s final season in the NFL.
“Tom wasn’t himself with all the things that were going on. And I’ve got to give him all the credit in the world for battling through what he went through last year for his teammates. I think the world of him, but it wasn’t the real Tom Brady out there.”
Arians on what he saw from Brady in 2022
Arians coached Brady in 2020 and 2021 after the quarterback left his original New England Patriots team following the 2019 season. The two won a Super Bowl in Brady’s first season in Tampa Bay before Arians himself called it quits following the 2021 campaign. Arians would know well what his former quarterback was dealing with.
To say that Brady had his fair share of distractions this past season would be an understatement. The quarterback had to endure a divorce with his longtime wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen. As a family man, this had an obvious impact. This also indirectly led the quarterback taking some time away from the team during training camp. Rightfully so, his mind was on other things outside of football.
One of the overriding issues between Brady and his ex-wife was the quarterback’s decision to play for another season. She has long wanted for him to call it quits and focus on his family life.
Related: Las Vegas Raiders star thought Tom Brady was headed to Sin City
“Obviously, I have my concerns — this is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present. I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for (them). He needs to follow his joy, too.”
Gisele Bündchen on Tom Brady back in September
This personal strife would lead to even the most professional of individuals to have their heads elsewhere at times.
After opting to return for another season, the seven-time Super Bowl champion struggled on the field. Brady posted his second-lowest quarterback rating since all the way back in 2006. He averaged a mere 6.4 yards per attempt despite leading the NFL in completions and pass attempts.
Now that Tom Brady has called it quits for good, he’ll turn his focus elsewhere. That will include a gig with Fox Sports to cover the NFL in 2024. Until then, he’ll be doing his own thing away from the football world.