If anyone is considering doubting Tom Brady this season, they should rethink their decision. Brady’s coach for the past two years, Bruce Arians, believes that the 45-year-old quarterback is not only maintaining his level of excellence but is also actually improving. Brady and Arians won a Super Bowl together in 2020.
As Brady begins his 23rd NFL season, Arians recently provided his assessment of the quarterback. Brady appears poised to have another outstanding season despite his advanced age and the fact that he recently took a lengthy break from Buccaneer’s practices.
“He’s throwing better now,” Arians said on the “Pardon My Take” podcast. “He’s got great mechanics. He’s one of those full body throwers. He’s not using just his arm. Tom is an amazing human being as far as taking care of himself. He’s throwing the ball better than I’ve ever seen him throw it.”
The Buccaneers will benefit greatly from Arians’ observation, but the teams facing Tampa Bay in 2022 will not. After finishing the 2021 season with 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns, Brady led the NFL. The seven-time Super Bowl champion recently ranked sixth among the top 100 players heading into the 2022 season, according to NFL Senior Writer Pete Prisco.
Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Carson Palmer, and Andrew Luck were among the talented quarterbacks that Arians coached throughout his coaching career. Arians won a Super Bowl in 2008 while serving as the offensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Arians claimed that Manning and Brady are the two most comparable quarterbacks, which is unsurprising.
“They’re the same animal,” Arians said. “Their need for information. … They had to have the information and they would just decipher it. They hate losing. They hate losing and they hate playing bad. Tom’s a little more demonstrative on the sideline. … Just a hell of a dude.”
Brady appears to be prepared for the Buccaneers’ season-opening game against the Cowboys, but the offensive line needs improvement. When Robert Hainsey and Nick Leverett left the Buccaneers’ preseason finale due to injuries, Tampa Bay had already been dealing with injuries to Ryan Jensen and Aaron Steenie.
Todd Bowles, the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, is keeping the possibility of both Hainsey and Leverett being available for Week 1 open, which is fortunate for Brady and the Buccaneers.
“They’re both trending in the right direction,” Bowles said earlier this week. “If they continue to heal, they’ll be ready to practice next week and should be available for the game.”
