The Tampa Bay Buccaneers could have resorted to panic mode after Tom Brady initially announced his retirement.
After all, the seven-time Super Bowl winner will leave a huge void that no other quarterback could fill.
They could have pursued other quarterbacks to set their ship in motion.
However, they made Brady feel that the starting job for the 2022 season was still his to lose.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport summarized that good things come to those who wait.
Tom Brady is back. A short retirement. The #Bucs never replaced him and didn’t make an offer on Deshaun Watson. They left the light on. Now, Brady is back.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2022
Rapoport said, “Tom Brady is back. A short retirement. The #Bucs never replaced him and didn’t make an offer on Deshaun Watson. They left the light on. Now, Brady is back.”
The Buccaneers had a chance of getting the surefire Hall of Famer back when he said the words “never say never.”
Little did anyone know that his retirement would only last 40 days.
During that time, Tampa Bay could have inquired about Russell Wilson‘s availability.
They could have chased Watson as well, even if he was still dealing with legal issues early into Brady’s quick retirement.
Now, Tampa Bay is back on the map with Brady playing his 23rd NFL season.
Regardless of his decision, the 44-year-old quarterback has one year left in his deal but he decided to play it out.
The Buccaneers Remain A Powerful Force In The NFC
Just when everyone thought that the Buccaneers’ demise would leave an empty playoff spot, they’re wrong.
They are back as contenders with the return of their leader.
It also helped that they got center Ryan Jensen back on a three-year deal.
As for their other free agents who were looking to jump ship, they now have all the reason to follow their captain’s lead.
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