“Downright Beautiful”
March 12th, 2021
Bill Currie Ford is a Tampa tradition since 1959. They’re awesome Bucs fans and so charitable in the community. Shop now at BillCurrieFord.com. New year, new deals! And remember their nationwide lifetime warranty on new and used vehicles. Ira loves his 2020 Ford Escape, cherry red.
BY IRA KAUFMAN
Nobody’s perfect, yet Tom Brady is the perfect Buccaneer.
Before he fits another Super Bowl ring on his finger, he’s already thinking about the next piece of jewelry. On Friday, he freed up a ton of cap space for a franchise hell bent on repeating.
Tampa Bay restructured Brady’s contract and you’d be hard pressed to figure out whether it was Brady or the Bucs who initiated the conversation.
Bruce Arians, the quarterback whisperer, should be shouting from the rooftops.
This is what Brady does. He helped keep New England’s dynasty going with his play on the field and his willingness to play ball at the negotiating table. Now the Bucs are benefiting from Brady’s team-first approach.
In 1981, after leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl, Ron Jaworski became the NFL’s highest-paid player when he signed for $400,000.
That’s $1.2 million in today’s dollars, or a fraction of what Dak Prescott just received from the Cowboys.
Prescott, who has one career playoff win on his resume, will make substantially more than Mr. Brady this fall. Is that fair? Of course not.
For Buc fans, it’s downright beautiful.
Nobody has watched No. 12 more closely over the years than Jaworski, a former analyst on Monday Night Football and now a successful golf executive in the Northeast.
“The heartbeat of a football team is the quarterback,” Jaworski says. “Guys in Tampa saw that first hand this year. You are the face of a football team, the face of a city and the face of an organization. Tom Brady can will a team to victory. He’s an incredible leader and he’s smart. What he did this year in Tampa is absolutely mind-boggling to me.”
You can make a credible argument that Brady had more of an impact on this franchise off the field than on it. That sounds ludicrous when you realize Brady threw 22 TD passes and only four picks during Tampa Bay’s 8-game winning streak after the bye week.
But the Brady Effect had transformed this franchise well before that wondrous closing stretch. His attention to detail and camaraderie with teammates lifted everyone’s game. And the fact Brady did all this during a season like no other made it all the more remarkable.
“This was a pandemic year,” says Jaworski. “There was no coordination between quarterbacks and receivers — unless you went to the park down the street. There were no preseason games. “From where he was in Week 1 to his Super Bowl performance was magnificent. He got better every week.
“Sure, there were bumps in the road, but I saw Tom working through the challenges. The team evolved and in the last quarter of the season, they were playing great football.”
Brady wants his band back together and let there be no doubt about the identity of the front man. If Brady wants Antonio Brown back, the Bucs will give it their best shot.
If he wants to throw passes to free agent running back James White, Jason Licht will try his best to make it happen.
According to Jaworski, Brady is still motivated by the 2000 draft, when the Patriots selected him out of Michigan with the 199th pick. But what really drives this guy is an insatiable desire to win.
That’s the whole of it. That’s all that matters.
Whether he throws 45 passes or hands it off 45 times, Brady embraces any game plan that leads to victory. Arians thought he had seen it all with the great quarterbacks he has worked with, but Brady stands apart. The impact of his selfless approach cannot be overestimated.
A Hall of Fame coach once said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
Unfortunately, Vince Lombardi never got to see Tom Brady, the perfect Buccaneer.
Ira! … Ira’s good friend Sean Sullivan, the Bill Currie Ford general manager, is ready to help you personally. Just call, email or stop in, one mile north of Raymond James Stadium.
March 12th, 2021 at 4:20 pm
The fact that Brady said “We’re keeping the band together” must’ve made the Joe that loves Shaq (I’m not talking 3rd person, I’m talking Lee) breathe easier. Shaq is most definitely one of the band.
March 12th, 2021 at 4:22 pm
Great article ira !
March 12th, 2021 at 4:23 pm
Tom Brady the 🐐!!!!!!
Kick rocks haters!!!!
March 12th, 2021 at 4:30 pm
What an incredible move by licht to get Brady.
What an incredible announcement and sacrifice by Brady to come to the table and show he is “all-in” for getting another championship. To publicly show he is playing for peanuts, overwhelmingly shows both Bucs FAs and all other FAs that if you want a Super Bowl Ring….Tampa is the place to be.
March 12th, 2021 at 4:32 pm
“Whether he throws 45 passes or hands it off 45 times, Brady embraces any game plan that leads to victory.”
That completely sums him up. He cares about wins that lead to rings. Nothing more
March 12th, 2021 at 4:35 pm
Amen!
March 12th, 2021 at 4:38 pm
Exactly! Thank you Ira!!.
March 12th, 2021 at 4:44 pm
Nicely done on this Friday, Ira. I still can’t believe Dallas threw all that loot at The Dak…coming off a serious lower leg injury no less. Jones paid sticker price plus…must be a better oil/land/business man than football contract negotiator.
Thank you Jamies for that final and emphatic pick 6 to close out the 2019 season. That changed everything!
March 12th, 2021 at 4:51 pm
It’s also nice to see Brady doesn’t have to pimp himself out to every commercial sponsor throwing a dollar his way.
If only Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes could also realize they have enough money, and should just play football.
March 12th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
Ira you definitely have a way with words. Nice article. Now let’s sign Shaq and have all weekend to celebrate!
March 12th, 2021 at 5:02 pm
Well said Ira !
March 12th, 2021 at 5:07 pm
Amen Brother Ira!
March 12th, 2021 at 5:09 pm
Yes indeed!
This is why Jameis was kept until Brady was available. Everything worked out to perfection.
It’s a NEW Bucs Life!!!!
March 12th, 2021 at 5:10 pm
Btw Thanks Ira!!!!
You makes this site better.
March 12th, 2021 at 5:16 pm
He’s hopefully helping to build his second dynasty. The value he brings to an organization is immeasurable, seriously. How do you put a price tag on what this guy brings to the table? It’s impossible, and he okays for literal peanuts compared to the other QB’s in the league.
His is the blue print that every QB that actually cares about winning needs to follow.
When these other guys are arguing with general managers about whether they’ll make $35 million or $38 million per year, Brady is asking how much more the organization needs to get him one more player to tilt the balance of winning or losing.
Patriots fans got spoiled. I refuse to take this little moment in Bucs history for granted. I don’t care if it only lasts one or two more years, I will try my damndest to enjoy the ride.
March 12th, 2021 at 5:27 pm
Tommy checked his sheet and said…..
I don’t need no stinking sheet!
On to another Super Bowl!!
March 12th, 2021 at 5:58 pm
Ira! hope you are feeling well after the vaccine!
March 12th, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Just a random stat here:
Rank Salary QB Team
1. $45 million Patrick Mahomes Chiefs
2. $40 million Dak Prescott Cowboys
3. $39 million Deshaun Watson Texans
4. $35 million Russell Wilson Seahawks
T5. $33.5 million Jared Goff Lions
T5. $33.5 million Aaron Rodgers Packers
7. $33 million Kirk Cousins Vikings
8. $32 million Carson Wentz Colts
9. $30 million Matt Ryan Falcons
10. $29.5 million Ryan Tannehill Titans
March 12th, 2021 at 6:45 pm
Tom Gravy
March 12th, 2021 at 7:27 pm
Nice!
March 12th, 2021 at 7:48 pm
Always a must read, thanks.
Doggy should have you on all year.
March 13th, 2021 at 1:48 am
You are the best Ira. I love you and appreciate the up out of you. 😛
March 13th, 2021 at 8:00 am
Imagine, Winston wanted to be paid like one of the best QB’s, check yo sheet. People on this sight actually wanted to pay it. We have one SB victory, and 2 more years of greatness to chase more. Life is good in Bucland.