Tom Brady’s free agency sparked many comparisons to Peyton Manning’s trip to the open market in 2012.
But while Manning brought the playbook he used in Indianapolis to Denver upon signing with the Broncos after 12 years with the Colts, it doesn’t sound like Brady will take a similar approach.
Buccaneers quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen recently explained to The Athletic’s Bob Kravitz that Tampa Bay’s offense with Brady will continue to be spearheaded by head coach Bruce Arians.
Brady will have input, sure, but don’t expect him to install the Patriots’ playbook with his new team despite spending 20 seasons in New England.
“I think what we’ll see here (in Tampa) is Bruce’s offense with a Brady influence,” Christensen told Kravitz. “Bruce wants to keep the offense the same. We did some good things last year. Tom has been terrific as far as saying, ‘Just tell me what you want to do.’ And honestly, there’s a lot of carryover from all these offenses; it’s just what you call certain things. We’re looking forward to seeing how he can influence the offense. He’ll make it better. That’s what the great ones do. He’ll have some great ideas so we’re anxious to get his take on things.”
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Brady is entering his age-43 season, so it’s fair to wonder how much gas he has left in the tank, especially after an underwhelming 2019 campaign in which New England’s offense looked out of sync.
Christensen has no concerns regarding Brady’s supposed regression, though. He looked at every pass Brady threw over the past four years while doing his homework and remains confident in the veteran signal-caller’s ability.
” … And I’m telling you, anybody who says he’s lost arm strength, all I know is I must have missed something,” Christensen told Kravitz. “Remember, they didn’t have those kinds of receivers (in New England) who could get deep. It wasn’t about anything that he couldn’t do. I thought he played last year at a high, high, high level, still light’s out.”
Gary Myers of the New York Daily News reported Monday that Brady’s relationship with Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels “deteriorated” last season and played a role in the quarterback’s departure.
Brady since has refuted the report, calling it “nonsense” in an Instagram post, but it’s an interesting side note as the six-time Super Bowl champion prepares to learn a new offense.
