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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have finally secured a playoff berth by winning the NFC South, but Tom Brady has no plans to take it easy. Brady was asked about the possibility of resting during the Bucs’ regular-season finale against the Falcons, and the legendary quarterback sent a strong message about his desire to play.
“It’s always up to coach, but, yeah, that would bother me,” Brady admitted during his January 1, 2023 postgame press conference. “I haven’t missed a game other than my ACL. And then in 2016, I missed the first four games. So, other than that, I’ve played ’em all.
“…I was very polite there, just so you know. It takes a lot for me to be polite.”
Brady appeared to be referring to being “polite” when discussing a four-game suspension in 2016 for his role in Deflategate. The Bucs are locked in to the No. 4 seed, and there is no chance for Tampa Bay to improve their playoff positioning. The Buccaneers will host the NFC East runner-up, either the Cowboys or Eagles, during the Wild Card round of the postseason.
Will Brady Play vs. Falcons in Week 18?
If Brady’s comments are any indication, the quarterback will play against Atlanta, despite the team’s inability to move up or down in the playoff standings. Ultimately, it will be up to Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles, but the team has given Brady a lot of freedom in making decisions since arriving in Tampa.
It would be an upset if No. 12 did not suit up against the Falcons. The Bucs may be unable to improve their seeding, but it is still important to head into the postseason with positive momentum, especially given the team’s inconsistent play this season. That said, it is still risky for Brady to play as an unfortunate injury would all but end the Bucs’ hope of winning a playoff game.
Brady Threw for a Season-High 432 Yards vs. Panthers
During the team’s victory over the Panthers in Week 17, Brady looked sharp by having arguably his best game of the season. Brady threw for a season-high 432 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while completing 75.6% of his passes. Equally as impressive was Brady’s connection with star receiver Mike Evans who had season highs with 10 catches for 207 yards and three touchdowns.
Evans and Brady have struggled to get on the same page for much of the season, and the Week 17 performance is an important bright spot going into the postseason. After the win, Evans praised Brady admitting this may have been “one of the best games I’ve seen Tom play.”
“They were playing a lot of cover one, and Tom was just dropping dimes,” Evans explained during his January 1 media session. “Like, those are some really, really good balls. One of the best I’ve seen Tom. This is one of the best games I’ve seen Tom play since he’s been here. They were falling right in my bread basket every time. So, he had an unbelievable game.”
If Brady has his way, the connection will continue against the Falcons in Week 18. Regardless of Brady’s playing status, the Bucs are headed to the postseason for the third straight year with the star quarterback under center.
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