Getty Tom Brady's interview on The Shop continues to go viral.
There has been plenty of speculation that Tom Brady is not pleased with Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians. Brady shot down the notion that he takes exception to Arians’ criticism of his play, adding that he is not “infallible.”
“Working with B.A. (Bruce Arians) has been really great for me in a very different way,” Brady told NFL Network, via Tampa Bay Times. “You know, he’s very tough on you when things aren’t the way they need to be. There’s nothing about me or my game that’s infallible. I’m a player like everybody else, so I’m trying to be coached and I think the team has very high expectations for me. So when I don’t meet those, he should be (ticked) at me and rightfully so. I know I’m more (ticked) at myself, but when you hear it from your coach, too, you know, it does motivate you.”
Arians on His Relationship With Brady: ‘I’m Not Going to Sugarcoat It’
Arians was asked about Brady’s comments, and the Buccaneers head coach admitted he was not going to “sugarcoat it” even for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. He explained that he uses the same philosophy with Brady that he learned as an interim head coach.
“I think for me, being an interim head coach for 12 games, there’s two things I learned: be yourself and delegate,” Arians noted, per Tampa Bay Times. “I don’t think you’re going to find a player, hopefully, in Arizona that ever said I (wasn’t honest with) him and there’s not going to be a player here (either). Sometimes you don’t like the truth, but I’m going to give you the truth and it’ll hurt for a minute, but it’s real. Don’t come ask me a question and think I’m going to sugarcoat it, because you’re going to get the real answer. I think our guys appreciate that.”
Brady Is Focused on the Falcons, Not the Playoffs
The Buccaneers are excited to end their playoff drought, but Brady is more concerned with how the team plays against the Falcons rather than any discussion on seeding. The Buccaneers quarterback is looking for a more consistent performance in his second game against Atlanta in three weeks.
“You know, we got a home game next week against Atlanta, so that’s what I’m thinking about,” Brady noted in his postgame press conference after the Bucs’ win over the Lions. “I’m going to try to go out and play great football next week. Didn’t play very good in the first half in Atlanta, and I only played one half today [vs. Lions]. So, I got to go out there and play well next week.”
Heading into Week 17, the Buccaneers are the No. 5 seed in the NFC and would take on the No. 4 Washington Football Team if the playoffs started today. A win over the Falcons would secure the No. 5 seed, while a loss puts Tampa in danger of dropping down to the No. 6 or 7 seed.
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