Much has been made about the relationship between Tom Brady and Bruce Arians, with some wondering whether the quarterback and head coach are on the same page.
Arians painted their "chemistry" in a positive light Tuesday, though, insisting they're continuing to evolve as Brady navigates his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"The chemistry really started in our first meeting. We first started talking offensive football and then the Tampa Bay Bucs," Arians told reporters during a video conference. "His excitement level and my excitement level just kept growing and is still growing. To watch him play, when we protect him and put him in the situations where he can play like he did in the second half of that ballgame (on Sunday), he's still as good as there is in this league.
"It's been a long process. We're still learning each and every week the little things, the game plans and situational football that we talk out: 'I haven't thought about that. This is how we did it. Yes, I like that.' It's still fun. The collaboration has been awesome, and like I said, it's our job to keep him healthy, keep him upright and let him do his thing."
The Buccaneers, who sit behind the New Orleans Saints in the NFC South with a 9-5 record, are riding high after overcoming a 17-0 halftime deficit to defeat the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15. Brady was excellent in the second half of Tampa Bay's comeback victory, finishing with a season-high 390 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Arians has been critical of the 43-year-old QB at times this season, prompting plenty of outside dialogue. But we were reminded this past Sunday why the Bucs signed Brady, who spent his previous 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, and why Tampa Bay is a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
