TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady said he got to experience what life will be like as a retired NFL quarterback for about six weeks before deciding that playing for the Bucs had been “an incredible part of my football journey, and it’s not over.”
Brady talked Thursday about his aborted retirement and reports that his relationship with former coach Bruce Arians had soured.
Speaking moments after the Bucs completed a short practice on the final day of mandatory minicamp, Brady said his focus is on winning another Super Bowl and he is glad to remain a part of the game as a broadcaster on Fox whenever his playing career ends.
Among the highlights Thursday:
• On if there was any truth to reports his relationship with Arians fractured before the loss to the Rams in the NFC division playoff game:
“Zero whatsoever. He and I have a great relationship and I think that’s part of why I chose (to be) here was because of Bruce. He and I have had incredible communication and I have great respect for him. He knows how I feel about him. That’s the most important thing. And I know how he feels about me.”
• On reports that he had discussions with the Dolphins about becoming a minority owner or possibly playing for them:
“Again, I had a lot of conversations with a lot of people, as I have the last three or four years of my career about different opportunities when I’m done playing football. You know, I kind of made a decision of what I’d like to do and I’ll get to be in the game of football. I think for me, the most important thing is where I’m at now and what I hope to do for this team. That’s been my commitment. …
“We’ve still got a lot to accomplish. I’ve got a long life ahead and there’s a lot of fun things to do ahead. I’m looking forward to what’s ahead in football but at the same time, none of us are promised much beyond what we have now and this is the current moment and I’m really excited about going out there and trying to compete and win a championship.”
• On his indecision about whether to continue his career after leading the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns:
“It’s very easy when you’re 25 to know what you want to do next year. It’s very challenging when you’re 43 or 44 because there’s a lot of other things that are pressing and there are a lot of other things that are really important in your life, like your kids and your wife. … When the football season starts, everybody knows it’s 100 percent football. It’s just the way you have to be and that’s a big commitment to make.
“In order to play every game, you’ve got to train really hard, so I’ve got train hard at 44 years old, which is a big commitment. To try to make those decisions have their challenges. It’s not like it was when I was 25, but I don’t think any of us feel like we felt when we were 25. Thankfully, there’s parts where I’m happy I’m not 25 and there’s other parts where I wish I were like 25 but I have a very complex, tricky life in different aspects and just trying to navigate it the best way I can.”
• On becoming a broadcaster for Fox whenever his career ends:
“I fell in love with this sport when I was a young kid and there’s still a great love for it. I think I always will and fortunately, beyond it, I’m going to stay in football now. That’s pretty clear. That will be fun. I look forward to whenever that happens and whenever I decide to make that decision to retire, you know, I think there were a lot of things about me ending up not having kind of a normal offseason.
“But I got to figure out what it would look like, which was really interesting for me. Which was good. I got a lot of good discussions with different people and learned a lot. Yeah. It should be a smoother transition then I would’ve thought.”
• On how he and new coach Todd Bowles see the game the same way:
“We have a great relationship. I mean, obviously, I played against him for a long time, too. He’s very detailed. Really tough, hard-nosed coach. A little bit of a throwback. You know, you coach in New York, that toughens you up a lot. You coach with (Arians) for a long time, you coach with (Bill) Parcells, you get toughened up. I think he believes in a certain style of play, which is reflected in the way our defense performs.
“I think we’ve got to go play great complementary football, between what they do defensively and what we need to do offensively and how the kicking game relates to that. There’s been a lot of competition throughout (organized team activities) and through training camp and I’ve always loved Todd as a coach. Even when he was coaching against me.
“I’ve always had a lot of respect for him because every game we played against him, we had to go earn it and it was some new scheme, new design and it was nothing simple. You know, that’s tough for a quarterback. If you can have that ball in that quarterback’s hands and he can question what he’s doing with the ball, I think you’re doing a good job, and I think Todd has done that great over the years.”
COMMANDERS: The Virginia General Assembly is abandoning for the year legislation intended to lure the NFL’s Washington Commanders to the state, a top lawmaker said.
Democratic Virginia Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw said in a brief interview that there were too many issues to be resolved and controversies surrounding the team for the legislation to proceed. It could be reintroduced next year, said Saslaw, who has championed the stadium and sponsored one version of the legislation.
The team, which currently plays in Maryland and has been exploring new stadium possibilities for several years, said in a statement that it supported the legislature’s decision to “more deeply examine this issue.”
STEELERS: Coaches like to remind everyone not to read too much into which players are practicing with which units or what rotations are being used this time of year. After all, it is just spring practice, with no pads, no contact and, if all is to be believed, no final evaluations.
The same is true at quarterback, which, for the first time in 18 years, has no established starter. There is much to judge and consider to determine which of the three candidates – Mitch Trubisky, Mason Rudolph or rookie No. 1 Kenny Pickett – will open the regular season as Ben Roethlisberger’s replacement.
But after two weeks of offseason training activities (OTAs) and three days of a mandatory minicamp that ended Thursday, all signs appear to point to Trubisky being the starter when the Steelers open their season Sept. 11 in Cincinnati.
Granted, much can change before then. However, with no more practices or meetings scheduled before they report to St. Vincent College on July 26, the Steelers will go to training camp with the likely idea Trubisky, their top free-agent acquisition, will be their starter.
“I’m preparing to be a starter,” Trubisky said. “I feel like, no matter what position you’re in, that’s the way you should prepare. I wouldn’t read too much into it, but I’m getting a lot of good reps. I feel really comfortable in the offense. I feel very confident.”
Trubisky, after all, is the most experienced of the three quarterback candidates. He started 50 games for the Chicago Bears after being the No. 2 overall draft choice in 2017, helping to lead them to two playoff appearances.
But, unlike Rudolph, who is already versed in Matt Canada’s offense, Trubisky has spent the past three weeks getting acclimated to the playbook and his new teammates. He has not missed a day of OTAs and minicamp and has spent a lot of time trying to display leadership qualities — something he did with the Bears and even last season as a backup with the Buffalo Bills.
Trubisky even had dinner at Roethlisberger’s house, getting to know him and what might be expected of being the Steelers’ starting quarterback.
LIONS: The Detroit Lions aren’t expecting to have one of their two first-round picks at the start of next month’s training camp.
According to Coach Dan Campbell, rookie wide receiver Jameson Williams isn’t expected to be far enough along in his rehab from a torn ACL suffered in January to participate at the start of camp.
As the team breaks for summer following next week’s final OTA practices, Williams is planning to stick around the Lions’ practice facility so that his rehab can be closely managed by the team.
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