The Departure Of Cam Brate
March 4th, 2023
Cam Brate.
It was no surprise, but it still saddened Joe.
Thursday, the Bucs waved goodbye to veteran tight end Cam Brate who was clearly on the downside of a very nice nine-year career.
Brate will finish his Bucs days with 33 touchdown catches. That’s one shy of tying Jimmie Giles (who is in the Ring of Honor) for most touchdown catches by a Bucs tight end. Only Mike Evans (81) and Giles (34) have more Bucs touchdown catches than Brate in franchise history.
And that’s why Joe is taking pause to reflect again on the move.
Brate was an undrafted free agent who blossomed under Mr. Entertainment, Jameis Winston, into one of the best touchdown machines. In 2016, Brate led the NFL in touchdown catches from a tight end with eight as the Bucs missed a playoff berth on a tiebreaker.
Along the way as he remained with the Bucs, Brate got a Super Bowl ring.
The last two years you could tell Brate was slipping and the injuries were piling up. Last season Brate suffered a scary neck injury in Pittsburgh where he had to get wheeled off the field on a support board.
Joe spoke at length with Brate after the loss to the Cowboys in the playoffs and Brate seemed to know the end was close. He admitted retirement was a real option.
A native of the Chicago suburbs, Brate embraced Tampa as his home. His wife has a flourishing real estate business here and Joe knows Brate doesn’t want to move.
After scary injuries, Brate doesn’t need to get beat to hell any longer. He has an economics degree from Harvard. He will be fine.
Joe will still miss him.
March 4th, 2023 at 12:11 am
Like Mike Evans and Lavonte David, big time entertainer for Bucs fans in deep dark times. Much love Cam.
March 4th, 2023 at 12:22 am
Cam helped make the Bucs Brate again!
1st as an island of class in the Winston teams
and then as part of Bradys SB run.
I was not aware that e ranked 2nd to Giles.
All we have to look forward to now is uncertainty
and based on history probably a bad season since
Bowels as HC seems to have only bad seasons.
It would be an awesome surprise of the Bucs were
good next year but smart money is against it.
Cue Rob Schneider as Townie from The Waterboy…
March 4th, 2023 at 12:26 am
Wife with a flourishing Real Estate business and a Harvard degree.
Doubt he will ever suffer how to pay the bills.
Thank you Cam for one of my favorite feel good stories since Ive been watching football
God Bless!
March 4th, 2023 at 12:26 am
Will miss him too. Retirement is a good gig. He doesn’t need this anymore. Thanks Cam!!
March 4th, 2023 at 12:35 am
CLASS………..NOTHING BUT CLASS
BEST WISHES
March 4th, 2023 at 12:42 am
He did very well for himself. Have a great retirement you earned it.
March 4th, 2023 at 1:20 am
He might be a good front office guy. Bring him in.
March 4th, 2023 at 2:32 am
Love that boy. Definitely, call it a day, Cam. You caught the most important pass – Brady’s Lombardi trophy launch!
March 4th, 2023 at 5:53 am
Great career….great Buc….hope he stays involved with Bucs in some capacity.
March 4th, 2023 at 6:08 am
Sad news.
I think we all understand the Bucs need to make some painful decisions this offseason. This is one of them.
Cam was one of those guys who flew under the radar. Didn’t get the publicity or playing time that some of the other guys on the team did, but if you look at the stats, he did a darn good job of consistently coming through when his number was called.
And he was always a class act when you saw or listened to him in an interview.
Best of luck to you, Cam!
March 4th, 2023 at 6:14 am
Is there a reason he was cut and not retired?
Or does he want to play another season elsewhere?
Understated, quiet, but impactful career, Brate had.
Guys like him are a rarity in the NFL. Best wishes…
March 4th, 2023 at 6:20 am
Agreed, he was a great Buc!
March 4th, 2023 at 6:43 am
Good luck C.B. a great Buc.
March 4th, 2023 at 6:52 am
Thanks Cam for the memories.
March 4th, 2023 at 7:06 am
Cobraboy, Brate was still under contract. Bucs cut him for salary cap savings.
March 4th, 2023 at 7:43 am
If you’re going to do essentially a rerun article…Brate is certainly worthy…..
March 4th, 2023 at 7:45 am
Cam was truly a beacon of light during the latest “Dark Ages ” in Buc’s history. One of our favorite players, a true class act and possessor the second greatest facial hair in team history! (See Ryan “The Beard” Fitzpatrick ” My family will always cheer “Brate is Great!”
March 4th, 2023 at 7:56 am
Cam brought us many, many grand memories. He will always be a buccaneer great.
March 4th, 2023 at 8:15 am
My guess is he saves that Harvard brain of his, and retires.
March 4th, 2023 at 8:19 am
I’ve always loved the tight end position and other than perhaps Giles and Gronk (for a very brief period) no one played it better. Wishing you the best life has to offer in your non-football years Cam.
March 4th, 2023 at 8:23 am
One of my favorite Bucs since he got here. Always got knocked and overlooked after we drafted worthless OJ Howard but consistently out produced him.
Congrats on a great career, Cam and thanks.
March 4th, 2023 at 8:24 am
Need to draft more players like him. Smart.
March 4th, 2023 at 8:28 am
Thanks for job well done, Mr. Brate. I enjoyed cheering for you.
March 4th, 2023 at 8:30 am
Cultured by Luke Stocker, outlasted Austin Sefarian-Jenkins AND OJ Howard whilst being a contributor in the worst and best of times as a Buc.
March 4th, 2023 at 8:57 am
Why would we ever feel sad for multi Millionaires losing their job. I know I never will. Like feeling bad for a CEO that’s fired by the board of directors. I’m just so sorry you made tens of millions. You poor thing. F-off!
March 4th, 2023 at 9:17 am
Your life must suck Jeff.
March 4th, 2023 at 9:23 am
Hell of a player. Thank you so much cam. You will be missed. So glad he got a ring
March 4th, 2023 at 9:29 am
Loved watching Brate play. A class act all the way around. Thanks for the memories and for the best catch of the Brady era. Enjoy retirement!!
March 4th, 2023 at 10:01 am
I never worried about the tight end position as long as I knew he was playing, he’d get catches and block
March 4th, 2023 at 11:50 am
Can you imagine what Brate’s numbers would have looked like if he had a good QB throwing to him early in his career?
March 4th, 2023 at 12:17 pm
Cam made the biggest catch in BUCS history AND in Tom Brady’s history when he caught that Super Bowl Trophy.
Thank you SO MUCH Cam, for all the years. CHEERS.
March 4th, 2023 at 12:57 pm
He will probably find a new life in the coaching ranks.
He was always one of my favorite players and I’m sorry to see him go, but it might be for the best, his body is getting fragile.
March 4th, 2023 at 1:28 pm
Glad he managed to get a ring here. Definitely a high character guy and the type of role players you need and new england was famous for. He’s what you call a ‘glue guy’. Darn injuries caught up. Wish him and his family the best
March 4th, 2023 at 1:31 pm
Not surprised but we will miss him. He didn’t complain or show any frustration when Licht picked a TE in the first round after Brate came off a career year with TD catches. He was a total team player.
March 4th, 2023 at 1:46 pm
I’ll always remember Brate dropping the perfectly placed ball Winston threw to him near the end of the game vs the Texans in 2019 on 4th down. He was wide open, the offense had finally heated up, they were moving the ball, it as easy of a catch as there is in the NFL, and this smuck dropped it and basically lost the game.
He reminds me of Humphries… another ‘fan favorite’ who never did much to help you win. Humphries career defining play will always be at Buffalo, late in the game, the offense has heated up, the Bucs are on a roll, put up a bunch of points, they got basically one final drive, deep in Bucs territory, Humphries gets the ball and promptly fumbles, which ends the game.
March 4th, 2023 at 3:35 pm
Good Guy -deserves healthy retirement .. His last TD catch was the last TD pass thrown by Tom Brdy ……
March 5th, 2023 at 2:10 pm
Cade Otton it’s your turn buddy! Be great.
March 5th, 2023 at 10:08 pm
You were a beacon of hope when the Winston led offense struggled to find its way and we’ll never forget you for that. More importantly the city of Tampa is a better place if you and your wife remain here and raise a family in this great city. Thanks for the memories Cam!