NFL Insider Believes Some Bucs Players Are 'Relieved' That Tom Brady Retired

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio suggested that some Buccaneers' players feel relieved that Tom Brady is no longer on the team.

The greatest quarterback of all-time, Tom Brady, retired from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the game of football almost two months ago. Brady's career has been filled with success during his time with the New England Patriots and during his short stint with the Buccaneers.

However, Brady's final season in 2022 was less than spectacular as the team sloppily played its way to a wild-card matchup against the Dallas Cowboys where they ultimately got stomped and finished the season with an 8-9 record.

Brady's numbers last season may not show exactly how bad things were in Tampa Bay, but there were a ton of conversations around the team being able to gel with one another - that never happened.

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Now with Brady officially retired, NFL Insider and Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio made an appearance on sports radio station WDAE suggesting that some Buccaneers' players aren't too upset with the GOAT no longer being the franchise's starting quarterback.

"What a mess of distractions last year with everything that was going on with Brady," Florio said. "And to be free from that, to be beyond that, I think there’s going to be a lot of [Bucs] who are relieved, and rejuvenated and recharged this year." 

Brady and the Buccaneers, for that matter, dealt with a ton of distractions last season - many of which stemmed from Brady's side of things while also trying to work in a new head coach's system.

Brady decided to come back last year after retiring for the first time only for his imminent upcoming decision in the 2023 offseason to hover over the organization. Also, towards the end of the season, Brady and recent ex-wife Gisele Bundchen announced that they were finalizing their divorce. Dealing with all that will surely put pressure on the person going through it and it was evident with Brady throughout the season that something was up.

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Now with those distractions in the past, Florio believes that it could definitely be true that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' players are relieved that Brady is gone from the team.

"They’re not going to come out and say it, but I think they’re going to feel it, and I think that’s good for the Buccaneers," Florio added about the vibe inside the team's locker room. 

Now with Brady retired, it is a new era in Tampa Bay, and for some players that means a fresh start to get back to their winning ways. The Bucs will continue to maneuver free agency to bring in the best possible guys to compete in the playoffs, but one unknown still will be who starts at quarterback, Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask?

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2023 offseason.

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