We've all become so used to saying TB12, that referring to Tom Brady with a different jersey number would have felt so odd.
Well, it almost was a reality. So, how does TB7 sounds?
Yeah, Weird.
When Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last offseason, his No. 12 was in use by star wide receiver Chris Godwin. But Godwin elected to switch to No. 14 so that Brady could take 12.
Appearing on the "Peter King Podcast," Bucs general manager Jason Licht revealed that Brady would have chosen No. 7 if Godwin didn't give up 12, and for good reason.
"I said, Hey, there's one other thing. It's a small thing, but maybe a big thing. We have a number 12 on our team and he's pretty good, Chris Godwin. What are you thinking about that?," Licht said. "Tom said, 'Oh, he's a great player. I'm not going to take his number. You know what number I'm thinking of? I'm thinking of taking maybe number 7. Is that available,’ he goes. I said, 'Yeah, I think it is. Why seven?'
"He goes, 'Go after that seventh Super Bowl. That's pretty cool.'"
Of course, Brady has much of his marketing endeavors tied up in the TB12 moniker, so Godwin really did him a favor by switching.
It would've been wild if Brady did, in fact, end up with No. 7, as he has successfully guided the Bucs to Super Bowl LV, where they'll face the Kansas City Chiefs.