Tom Brady’s Impact Remains
October 15th, 2025
Tom Brady Effect still felt.
When Tom Brady came to the Bucs in 2020, it marked the end of the Lost Decade, though Joe didn’t know it at the time.
From the day Chucky was fired until Brady walked through the front door of One Buc Palace, the Bucs, but for two playoff-less seasons, knew nothing but losing. Some seasons required every ounce of strength and alcohol available to get through a game.
Not only did Brady bring credibility, but he showed the team what it takes to be a winner. He set a standard that, it appears, still lingers.
Albert Breer of SI.com spoke with Bucs coach Todd Bowles this week. And Bowles said the work ethic and standard Bucs veterans have established has definitely rubbed off on backups and younger players.
The coaches see [the success] as a sign of the standard the veterans are setting.
“The maturity level of the older guys, making the young guys accountable, with the way they come to work every day, has really been a joy to see,” coach Todd Bowles told me. “That really has been giving us the edge to scratch out games, and fight for our lives. Now, even though the games are close, we don’t feel like we are fighting for our lives, we feel very confident, those guys feel very confident they can make plays to win the game.
“And there’s a lot of trust.”
In other words, it’s Mike Evans and Chris Godwin setting the bar for rookies such as Emeka Egbuka and Tez Johnson, or Tristan Wirfs and Luke Goedeke showing the way for Charlie Heck, or Mayfield playing at a level that compels everyone to hold the rope.
Those veteran Bucs (with the exception of Luke Goedeke) were with the Bucs when they won the Super Bowl in February 2021. And there are more, like Lavonte David, Antoine Winfield, Vita Vea and Jamel Dean.
Brady seta standard. The young players then who learned from Brady are current Bucs’ veterans.
Joe could argue the spirit of Brady remains with the organization.
Todd Bowles is all of us watching this play 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Vcwwx7LWnI
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) October 14, 2025
October 15th, 2025 at 4:56 am
Heck yes Brady rubbed off on our guys. He also hasn’t taken a snap here in a long time. Looking at that video we can see deeper into who Todd Bowles really is. He may be the only person who could see who Baker really is. They are football players through and through. The best QB and head coach pairing in the league. Where’s that gonna bring us? Don’t know but the ceiling is high. Very high. I thought we were the best team in the league coming into this season. I think we are going to get better for the next few seasons anyway. I don’t think I’ve had more fun watching a football team in my 67 years. And I’ve had alot of fun watching football teams.
October 15th, 2025 at 5:14 am
Kenton, I am with you on that. This team is a can’t miss on game day. I look forward to it all week. Can’t wait to see them Monday night against a very good Lions team.
I got a serious laugh at that video bc I can relate to exactly how Todd was acting on Baker’s scramble. I used to coach HS boys B-ball. I did the same thing. “No, no, no YES!!!”
October 15th, 2025 at 5:18 am
Tom indeed was a change agent bringing an example of professionalism combined with skill. You have to have the right players without a doubt but you also have to have the right coaches and the right personnel department bringing in the right players. We’re experiencing the magic of the right chemistry right now. It’s so easy to mess this delicate balance up. Brady’s distractions at the end, Brown’s lunacy, Arians’ blindness to a certain OC, the list is endless. I’m enjoying this season immensely with the full knowledge that the experiment will continue to evolve.
October 15th, 2025 at 5:33 am
WowJoe! Todd does have a sense of humor! I thought you were making that up.
Just kidding. Thanks Joe! Love that!
Go Bucs!
October 15th, 2025 at 6:07 am
There is a different attitude on this team now. Baker is an inspirational leader
on this team because he doesn’t give up on plays. But he is not the only one, we had and still have players that inspire on both sides of the ball. I think the current Bucs team is doing a better job of playing for each than Brady’s final year.
Every play counts and we have had success because everybody does their part.
October 15th, 2025 at 6:20 am
No doubt even Mayfield learned from the Brady culture. Baker brought his own fire and will to win but he was humbled by the Panthers experience. Rams injected him with a new confidence and the Brady maturity effect helped Baker.
October 15th, 2025 at 6:26 am
The impact brady had will not be forgotten by many on the team. he was the catalyst that took quite a few players from also rans, or who’s career would have notes like “well he was good but he never won anything really” to superbowl champion. i put mike evans and lavonte david in that group for sure. probably others.
there are people who were bucs fans long before brady (thankfully) came to play here who know the difference of before and after.
i hope baker can be the same catalyst, i think he is a great leader and player. fortunately there are other leaders and superbowl champions on this years team that i think players can look to instead of baker, because baker hasnt won or even gone to a superbowl except to watch. i think baker is probably one person on the team who has the fire to win a superbowl because he knows how hard it is, regardless of how many stupid awards or kudos from the bloggers and podcasters you can get nothing replaces a ring.
brady and baker are similar in that they both found themselves somewhat at the back of the bus at sometime during their career. i hope the outcome is somewhat similar. i think this years team can do it, the only thing the really lack is consistency but ability and drive is already on the roster.
October 15th, 2025 at 7:15 am
Nice clip of Bowles. Thanks Joe!
October 15th, 2025 at 7:23 am
Have a lot of doubts about Bucs defense. Yes, the defense came through in a manner of speaking vs 49ers, but Mac Jones still had a lot of yards and 49ers moved the ball through the air pretty well. The Bucs defense is pathetic in Todd Bowles soft zone. Need to see more press coverage. That is not new news.
October 15th, 2025 at 8:01 am
That clip is AI. Todd never shows that kind of emotion on the sideline.
October 15th, 2025 at 8:54 am
Slide, slide, slide? That would bring up a 4th down.
October 15th, 2025 at 9:02 am
Curse of Gruden Says:
That clip is AI. Todd never shows that kind of emotion on the sideline.
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While he doesn’t show that kind of emotion on the sideline, I’m sure he feels it.
And @Curse of Gruden, he’s not ON the sideline in this video. *handpalm*
It’s not AI.
October 15th, 2025 at 9:04 am
Something that Brady taught by example when he was here was how to take care of your body so you can play at a high level into your 40s.
October 15th, 2025 at 9:16 am
First shout out to Baker, Bowles, Evans, Wirfs, Winfield, David, Barton and EE for their leadership. I am sure there are others but those guys I am confident in.
The pass defense has been questionable but not last week.
San Fran dropped back to throw 47 times.
39 pass attempts, 2 scrambles, 1 pass intentional grounding (counts as an attempt), and 6 sacks.
They gained a net 6.2 yards per drop back.
That pass defense allowed no TD’s. They had 2 interceptions, caused a fumble and almost had another fumble recovery by David.
I’ll take that performance every week — not sure why others are still complaining about it.
I am guessing we won’t be that strong every week for our pass defense but also think we can do that many more times as Parrish, Morrison, and Roberts get more experience.
Todd’s defenses seem to get better as the season goes on.
October 15th, 2025 at 9:43 am
I love when Bowles does a sit-down with Casey Philips. He is MUCH more open and candid with her than I see him on every other presser/segment.
I forgot the title of the show with Casey, but it’s put out by Bucs.
Love the enthusiasm of Bowles in the vid above. He’s prolly saying similar things in his head all game long, but we just don’t get to see it.
Good stuff, Joes – thanks!
October 15th, 2025 at 10:50 am
GENO711
I AGREE!!!!!
GREAT POST!!!!
6-1!!!!
GO BUCS!!!!