Tom Brady hasn’t had a banner year in 2022, but the outside perception of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback remains strong from those who have spent time around him.
The Buccaneers enter the final three weeks of the NFL season at 6-8, barely holding onto a lead in the NFC South and a spot in the postseason. A win against the shorthanded Arizona Cardinals in Week 16 would go a long way in securing that playoff spot, making this about as important a regular season start Brady has had in Tampa.
The funny part? It’s coming against one of his former backup QB’s in Kliff Kingsbury.
Kingsbury was a teammate of Brady in 2003, spending the year on injured reserve but getting a first-hand look at the way the seven-time Super Bowl champion operates — which was apparently an eye-opening experience.
“The total commitment, lifestyle, sleep, eat, study, work that he’s put into that — it’s insane,” Kingsbury said Wednesday, per Pro Football Talk. “When I got there, I thought I worked hard, then I watched what he did and put into it and it was on a whole different level. There’s a reason he’s the best there ever was.”
Though the Bucs have had a tough season, praise for Brady has become common place in recent weeks, especially among those who grew up watching him.
Arizona’s season hasn’t gone much better than Tampa’s, sitting with a 4-10 record and down to a third-string quarterback after injuries to Kyler Murray and Colt McCoy. The lost season has even led to speculation that the Cardinals could move on from Kingsbury following the season.
With Brady being a free agent in 2023, could the two reunite in New England as a quarterback/offensive coordinator duo? Crazier things have happened.
