Tom Brady goes into his 23rd campaign in the NFL this year, and at the end of last season, it looked as though we had seen the last of the three-time MVP. However, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback lasted just six weeks into his retirement.
The explanation Brady gave for his return to the sport was that he had “unfinished business”. He clearly feels he has can have a lot more success with the Buccaneers, despite now being 46 years old.
Brady’s return is a big boost to Tampa Bay, which now have strong Super Bowl claims once again. The NFC south team have NFL odds of 15/2 to lift the Vince Lombardi Trophy this season. If Brady does lead them to championship success, he will claim the eighth Super Bowl ring of his career.
In Mike Evans, Julio Jones and Chris Godwin, Brady has a trio of wide receivers he should have a lot of success with. Some pundits have even claimed this is the strongest offensive team the QB has ever been part of.
Last Season’s Stats Suggest Brady Was Right to Return
There were lots of career highs for Brady in 2021. He finished the regular season with 5,316 passing yards, the most he has accumulated in one campaign. The Bucs QB also completed 485 passes, beating his previous best of 402, which he set in 2015.
Brady had his second-best year for passing touchdowns, with 43 going his way. In 2007, in what was a perfect season for the New England Patriots, he had 50 passing touchdowns. However, that was the only time he has reached 40 or more TDs with the Pats during his 20 years with the franchise.
What was also encouraging about last season for Brady and Tampa Bay was the fact he played all 17 games. As he has done throughout his career, he was fortunate to avoid a serious injury. This has allowed him to play as deep as he has into his 40s.
The Buccaneers’ defence of their Super Bowl title ended in the divisional round last season, as they were beaten by the eventual winners Los Angeles Rams. They went down 30-27 in what was a close game at the Raymond James Stadium.
Bills And Rams Likely to Be Main Challengers to Brady
The Buffalo Bills are the 6/1 favourites with the bookmakers to win the Super Bowl in February. With Josh Allen at QB, they have claimed the AFC East title in each of the last two seasons.
The Bills’ bid for the Vince Lombardi Trophy ended against the Kansas City Chiefs. In what was a thrilling game in the playoffs, it finished 42-36 in favor of the Chiefs in overtime. Buffalo will be hoping the off-season signings they have made can help them go further in the upcoming campaign.
Defending champions LA Rams will also be strong rivals for the Bucs. They may have to overcome the team which beat them earlier this year if they are to make the Super Bowl. The New England Patriots were the last team to defend their crown in 2004 when Brady helped them to back-to-back successes.
Tampa Bay begin its new campaign in week one against the Dallas Cowboys on September 12th. It will be a tough opening test for Brady and his teammates.
