Mike Alstott: “It’s Not Just Tom Brady’s Team”
July 24th, 2025
Bucs legend Mike Alstott.
Is it possible Mike Alstott took a backhanded poke at the Tom Brady era, when the Bucs bought a lot of pieces to win a Super Bowl?
Joe’s not sure, but Joe can’t ignore what the Buccaneers Ring of Honor “A-Train” himself said on WDAE radio this morning as he sat alongside the practice fields of One Buc Palace.
Alstott, who has spent personal time with Bucs running back Bucky Irving, talked about how he likes the composition of the Tampa Bay roster and how the players handle themselves.
“I like it because it’s a team. It’s a team. You know what I mean? It’s not just Tom Brady’s team. Right?” Alstott said.
“It’s not Baker’s team; Baker doesn’t want that either. It’s the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and stuff like that, with Mike Evans and all the other greats that have been here a long time, and then the rookies and the middle guys and everybody that has their role with this team.”
Alstott added that he feels very strongly about the Bucs’ chances for a great season.
Joe would understand if Alstott likes the Mayfield-era Bucs versus the three-year run of the Brady days. The current group is more homegrown and more in line with Alstott’s roster under former head coach Father Dungy.
July 24th, 2025 at 1:16 pm
No, that was just a comment about them being very team oriented. Nothing to see here.
July 24th, 2025 at 1:24 pm
I agree with A-Train’s sentiments, so this time when our Bucs hoist their next Lombardi Trophy it will be just as satisfying as our 1st back in 2002! Don’t get me wrong 2020 was great, but to me, it wasn’t in the neighborhood of the 1st Championship 🚩🏴☠️🚩🏆🏆🏆 2025 could be our year‼️
July 24th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
How cool would it be to see Alston in his prime, lacing ‘em up one more time?
July 24th, 2025 at 1:25 pm
Alstott!
July 24th, 2025 at 1:27 pm
I took it as a dig at national media, who only saw Buc relevance as being Brady-deep. Without him, back to meh…but it isn’t the case. We are bigger than one person and exactly like the last paragraph says.
July 24th, 2025 at 1:29 pm
Allstott, and Bucky in the same backfield would be a world of fun.
July 24th, 2025 at 1:31 pm
JTHV bumped into A-Train again yesterday at his favorite local Tex Mex place in St. Pete. As always the man was gracious and happy to talk Bucs football old and new. Such a refreshing difference between the likes of Alstott, Dunn, Brooks, Barber and that in-public fan hating scumbag Sapp.
Go Bucs! Retire #40 next to Lee Roy!
July 24th, 2025 at 1:50 pm
It was Bradys team. He brought the super bowl trophy home. Doing what he did in one year is incredible. He should have a statue and already be in the ring of honor. All key players that produced in the postseason were only on the team because of TB 12. Gronk, Fournette, AB, did anyone else score in the SB.
July 24th, 2025 at 2:18 pm
People from outside of TB never really saw 2020 as a Tampa Bay SB – it was Toms song and dance. That was the perception wrong or right
July 24th, 2025 at 2:22 pm
The point is it isn’t ONLY about Brady!! What about Suh, JPP, Shaq , on and on and so many more in 2020
July 24th, 2025 at 2:30 pm
I just hope we all understand, not only did Brady bring us a Super Bowl in year 1, but he shifted the culture for us. His impact on the organization will be felt for at least a decade. His impact on our current leaders not only put them into their well deserved spotlight and strengthened their HOF cases, but instilled an attitude and mentality in them that they have been able to instill into our younger guys who never played a snap with Brady. I love this team and the way Jason has assembled this roster. But in no way, shape or form should we ever be discrediting what Tom brought to and instilled into this organization.
July 24th, 2025 at 3:04 pm
I LOVE ALSTOTT BUT …
This goes back to last year’s: TB12 was serious and Baker is fun.
TB12 brought in players, a playbook, and expectations. The Bucs were his team and we wouldn’t have Super Bowl 2020 if it wasn’t. Baker is certainly more fun but I’m taking TB12 all day everyday over Baker.
July 24th, 2025 at 3:38 pm
It grinds my gears when people say Tom Brady won the Superbowl for the Bucs. It’s a TEAM sport yes Tom helped. That’s it . If Tom had gone to Carolina instead of Tampa would the Panthers have won the Superbowl? I seriously doubt it Nothing against Carolina but they didn’t have the TEAM to do it Winston threw for over 5000 yards the previous season before Toms arrival. Mr Brady knew that Tampa was very close and that’s why he chose the Bucs. They had a top 3 O-line and a very good defense. Football is the ultimate TEAM spot. Love Tom he is the Goat but he helped the Bucs win a Superbowl not win it for them . Fella the Bucs defense has been dominant in camp so far and when I say dominate I mean dominate. I’m looking forward to see what kind of adjustments Grizzard makes. This is very important! It’s his first scheming test as an offensive coordinator. So far Bowles has schooled him. I have no doubt that he and the offense will bounce back though. He a very bright guy and that offense has a lot of pride.
If this defense is and semblance of what’s gonna be on the field in the regular season then 12-5 / 13-4 is a very real possibility. I think this team will take another step in the right direction this season barring injuries of course. I’m so stoked for this season!!
As always Go Bucs!!!!!!
July 24th, 2025 at 4:08 pm
Is there anything more fun to watch than an A-train highlight reel?
July 24th, 2025 at 5:53 pm
I feel really good about this team like I did in the early 2000s. They seem to really like each other and hold each other accountable. I feel this is the year for the Super Bowl and I’m excited for it to start. I agree it was never Brady’s team we have a lot of seasoned veterans here and he was the finishing touch and I think he also just upgrade the accountability of each player as they have said themselves but it was a team effort.
July 24th, 2025 at 5:58 pm
I loved Berman”s sound effects when the tape showed Alstott bouncing off tacklers, especially at the goal line,BFF,BFF,BFF….LOL
July 24th, 2025 at 7:13 pm
What Noclu4u just said!!! Tom won’t mind. Immediately.after retirement He declared himself a Patriot for life ! I get that 6 of his SBs were in Boston only 1 in Tampa so I respect his decision. I do not root for the Patriots! So I hope he can respect my decision to not root for him!
July 24th, 2025 at 9:23 pm
The mainstream sports media did a horrible job in covering one of the greatest sports-stories, ever, of the 2020 Buccaneers.
Guaranteed that Tom Brady went to the Buccaneers with enthusiasm for the organization and had great respect for the team; especially the O-line and Mike’s leadership qualities for the offense, and elite deep ball talent (Bob Kraft & Bill Belichick, as outstanding owner and head coach as they are, it was only for the short-term (Randy Moss) did they ever provide Brady’s patriots-offense with deep-ball-capability.
Was Brady aware of head coach Bruce”s philosophy on offense?
Uh, ya! I’d bet on it.
And then, the Buccaneer’s defense; that went right through three Hall of Fame opposition-quarterbacks in a row to win the Super Bowl.
Awesome.
Where was the mainstream sports media?
July 25th, 2025 at 2:57 am
itzok:
ummm………our defense held KC to 9 points………9
July 25th, 2025 at 6:27 am
I don’t take it as a swipe of Brady Joe. It was Brady’s team in many ways. Now the dynamic has changed. We don’t need a Brady to lead the way he did. We have dudes who play football as a team. Different I think. We could use a dude like JPP on defense I think though. Somebody to get a bit vocal with teammates when needed. Arians was like that. It was not wrong. Just different.
Go Bucs!
July 25th, 2025 at 7:46 am
A train is a beast and love him but I love the old addeage, talk is cheap…Atrain has a Super Bowl, Brady does too but with Tampa, baker doesn’t it…once an only if the win this year with baker it’s just another team in the NFL not the Super Bowl champs could of should of but we ll see TBD… I have my season tickets
July 25th, 2025 at 10:54 am
I have always thought Gruden took away Alstotts hall of fame shot. Dungee knew he was a GREAT power running fullback with very good hands. Had him on that path to the hall. Prudent came in and said, fullback don’t run, they block, they don’t catch passes. He had no idea how to use him. Asked him to do things he had never done in college or for the bugs. Screwed him at the end of his career. Before that, Boomer had him in the highlight reels every week, running over people and dragging the whole pile into the end zone. One of the GREATEST.
July 25th, 2025 at 11:32 am
Checking back in as the preseason is approaching. Seriously, joes, why are we rehashing Brady? The Bucs were not his first choice when the old guy started shopping around for a team. The 49ers were. The Bucs were either his 3rd or 3th choice. Why? They had built a SB caliber team on all sides of the ball, but they were small potatoes in his head. The only weakness was Fameis Jameis. He took the deal and Bucs delivered. He’s ancient history, so let’s move on.
July 26th, 2025 at 12:54 am
I’d love to hear audio of Dungy reacting to watching Todd’s pass defense making also rans look like Dan Farging Marino.
July 26th, 2025 at 11:06 am
I get what Alstott is saying. The Brady era was a mix of homegrown guys and key free agents (Brady, Fournette, Gronk, AB, JPP, Suh). Whereas now the team is pretty much all homegrown players, besides Baker- who clearly feels like he found his home here. (And Hassan Reddick, but almost every other starter was drafted or signed here as a URFA)