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FAB 1. An Open Letter To Tom Brady

Hi, Tom. I’m Scott Reynolds, publisher of PewterReport.com and I’m entering my 25th year of covering the Buccaneers.

I’m the youngest of the old-timers on the Bucs beat – a dwindling group that includes Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times, Ira Kaufman, who is Tampa Bay’s resident Hall of Fame voter, and Fred Goodall of the Associated Press – but not by much. I’m 48, just a few years older than you.

You’ve been a Buccaneer for almost four months now and we’ve yet to meet, which is strange, but we’re certainly living in some strange times right now.

I’ve been in a couple of your media huddles over the years – first after you beat the Bucs in New England in December of 2005, and then again when the Patriots came to Tampa Bay for a joint practice with the Bucs in 2012 prior to a preseason game.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we probably won’t actually meet face-to-face – outside of a Zoom conference call – until sometime in 2021 after the season is over, and hopefully after the pandemic is over. And that’s if we’re lucky. What a shame.

Although not a Patriots fan, I’ve marveled at your career from afar over the past 20 years. I’ve always seemed to root for the Patriots in every Super Bowl you’ve played in – in part because I didn’t like the NFC teams you faced.

As someone who has faithfully covered the Bucs for over two decades, who could actually root for the Rams, Giants, Panthers, Eagles and Falcons anyway? I admit I have nothing against the Seahawks, but still found myself rooting for you again in Super Bowl XLIX.

I also happened to root for you and the Patriots in your epic playoff clashes with Peyton Manning and the Colts, and later when Manning was playing with the Broncos.

Back on January 9 on a Pewter Nation Podcast titled “Brady To The Bucs?” I was one of the first media members to seriously suggest that the Bucs should pursue you and that you might find Tampa Bay a very attractive destination.

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo By: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The reasons? Working with Bruce Arians’ offensive mind, the offensive arsenal you didn’t have in New England led by Pro Bowl wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and an ever-improving Todd Bowles defense – similar to what you faced twice a year when he was the head coach in New York.

Tom, you made a great decision. The Bucs need you.

Over the last quarter century of living in Tampa I’ve come to know the Bucs fan base quite well. It’s a fan base that is strong and resilient, yet fragile and tired at the same time. For a 13-year span between 1983 and 1996, there wasn’t a single playoff team in Tampa Bay. Yet there were always about 30,000-35,000 die-hard fans in attendance through the lean years in the scorching heat, soaked from the rain of the thunderstorms that passed through at the Big Sombrero, watching players like Paul Gruber, Reggie Cobb, Santana Dotson, and eventually Hardy Nickerson, John Lynch, Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks. On some days, Bucs fans were actually outnumbered by 35,000 – 40,000 visiting Packers and Bears fans during that time.

Staying loyal to an underachieving – and sometimes embarrassing – Tampa Bay franchise that didn’t have a winning record for over a decade was tough. Bucs fans back then were like the kids that got bullied and picked on in school.

Then Tony Dungy came and ended the playoff drought in 1997 and won a division title in 1999, and Bucs fans went from being nerds to the cool kids thanks to the strength of Tampa Bay’s elite defense and the hard-charging style of fullback Mike Alstott. Jon Gruden replaced Dungy in 2002 and kept the winning going with three division titles, including the team’s first and only Super Bowl title in his first season in Tampa Bay.

After Gruden left in 2008, there has been a revolving door of players and coaches over the last dozen years. Arians has been the team’s fifth head coach since 2009. Tom, you’ve only played for one head coach – Bill Belichick – in your 20 years with New England.

This is a Bucs franchise that has just 15 playoff games in its 44-year history, and only has a 6-9 record in the postseason. Tom, you’ve started 41 playoff games and won 30 of them, including six Super Bowls.

You’ve lost more Super Bowls – three – than the Bucs have ever been to in 44 years.

Bucs TE Rob Gronkowski and QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Getty Images

Tom, over your two decades with the Patriots you’ve had three offensive coordinators in Charlie Weis, Josh McDaniels and Bill O’Brien. The Bucs have had eight different offensive coordinators – Jeff Jagodzinski, Greg Olsen, Mike Sullivan, Jeff Tedford, Marcus Arroyo, Dirk Koetter, Todd Monken and Byron Leftwich – over the past 12 seasons.

I’ve been around for some pretty hyped moments in Bucs history. The trade for Keyshawn Johnson was a huge moment in 2000, as was the signing of quarterback Brad Johnson and Simeon Rice in free agency the next year. The trade for Gruden in 2002 was perhaps the biggest moment in franchise history prior to your arrival, and the addition of Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks in free agency also made big waves around the league.

But all of those roster additions pale in comparison to you becoming a Buccaneer back in March. Even at age 42, and even if you’re not in your absolute physical prime – you’re still the greatest NFL quarterback of all-time, Tom. It’s a really big deal that you’re a Buccaneer.

Sorry if I’m stating the obvious.

This franchise has never had five prime time games in one season before your arrival. That’s because of you. PewterReport.com had record traffic in March when you were signed. That’s because of you.

But here is what you need to know, Tom, and the reason I’m writing you this letter. Your arrival in Tampa Bay can’t just be about 2020 and 2021. Your impact must be felt on this organization for the next decade – long after your gone.

The Patriots won’t whither and die this year without you, and it has nothing to do with the acquisition of Cam Newton. The “Brady effect” – which is the standard you set for your teammates during your time in New England – will continue to be felt by every Patriots player you suited up with.

You may only have two years in Tampa Bay, but your time here has to be maximized. It’s not just about trying to win as many games as possible and end the Bucs’ 12-year playoff drought. Who knows if the NFL will even finish a 16-game season with the potential perils of COVID-19 this year?

Bucs DBs Sean Murphy-Bunting, Jamel Dean and Mike Edwards – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

This is about you spending time with Evans, Godwin, guard Ali Marpet, middle linebacker Devin White, defensive tackle Vita Vea, the young cornerback trio of Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting and Jamel Dean, and with rookie safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. and rookie tackle Tristan Wirfs to make sure they get it – that they understand how to win. They and a handful of others are the future of this Buccaneers team, and will be leading the way in 2023 and 2025 and 2027 – after you’re long gone.

Evans idolized Randy Moss and you should share some of your Moss stories and insights with him, Tom.

Godwin has never been in an offensive huddle with anyone who has made the playoffs other than center Ryan Jensen, and he needs to learn what it takes to be a winner.

Marpet needs to hear from you that it’s time for him to become the league’s dominant guard next to Quenton Nelson. Wirfs simply can’t have enough time with you – he has so much to learn, especially without the benefit of a rookie mini-camp or OTAs.

Tom, you need to tell Vea how much he reminds you of former Baltimore Pro Bowler Haloti Ngata, and tell Vea that he can be even better if he plays with constant aggression and understands that he can dominate on each and every snap.

Davis, Murphy-Bunting, Dean and Winfield could use some film sessions with you, attacking their weaknesses on film and on the practice field. The time you spend with these young defensive play-makers will rapidly aid in their development.

Last year, White learned a lot from Lavonte David, who is a pro’s pro, and will continue to do so. You know that the MIKE linebacker is the quarterback of the defense – essentially your counterpart, Tom. Teaching White how offenses will attack the Bucs defense will accelerate his learning curve as he enters his pivotal second year.

Bucs QB Tom Brady and TE Rob Gronkowski – Photo from Brady’s Instagram

The talks you have with these players, the tips you share with them, the pieces of wisdom you impart on them is as big of a reason as to why you are in Tampa Bay as the next two seasons.

Your legacy will forever be as a Patriot, Tom. You could win two Super Bowls in Tampa Bay and decide to come back for one more year in 2022 and win another one, and you’ll still retire as a Patriot and enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a Patriot, of course.

But you will have a chance to leave a different legacy with the Buccaneers where two – or three – years of “the Brady effect” can live on in Tampa Bay for a decade with the younger star players on the current roster.

I know your kids are growing up fast and there is a new city for your family to explore in Tampa. You’re a family man, who likes to spend quality time with his wife and kids.

But there are 31 other kids on the Bucs roster, and by that I mean 31 players that are age 23 and under. That’s how old you were when you were drafted in the sixth round by New England in 2000, Tom. You were a kid at age 23 as a rookie.

Now you’re literally old enough to be the father of 31 of your teammates. Include the 24-year old Buccaneers and the number of “kids” rises to 41, which is nearly half the roster.

I don’t mean to make you feel old, Tom.

I know you’re looking at your next two years in Tampa Bay with a great sense of urgency. A last hurrah, if you will. A chance to show the world you can win without Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels – and that you can adapt to new offense and still compete for a championship.

Just know that the Bucs fan base is excited that you’re here, and will be even more excited if the team keeps winning long after you’re gone. Tampa Bay fans – and the organization – want to win so bad that the team even changed its uniforms back to those worn in the Dungy – Gruden glory days.

Bucs QB Tom Brady

The Bucs won 111 games from 1996-2008 between those two Bucs Ring of Honor coaches in those 13 seasons. Since 2009, Tampa Bay has won just 62 games over the past 11 years.

Tom, I applaud you braving the COVID conditions with some of your teammates at your private workouts at Berkely Prep this offseason while the NFL canceled the mini-camps and OTAs. I appreciate you putting in the time to learn the offense on the field and develop some chemistry with your new weapons.

Here’s to you having a great first season in Tampa Bay and making the Buccaneers the cool kids again by ending the 12-year playoff drought. I’m tired of writing about losing seasons and am ready for the narrative to change.

I’m ready to see “the Brady effect” take hold in Tampa Bay. Stay safe, Tom.

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