TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is once again giving us the social media content we didn’t know we needed this offseason.
In a slow news cycle that’s been dominated by Julio Jones trade rumors, Brady first released an Instagram video Tuesday in which he’s seen throwing and running with no knee brace despite undergoing surgery earlier this offseason.
Then he took to his TikTok account Wednesday to break down two of the most memorable plays in the Bucs’ 2020 season, revealing once and for all that, yes, he really didn’t know it was fourth down in Week 5 at Chicago.
The first play was Brady’s touchdown pass to Scotty Miller in the NFC Championship Game. With 22 seconds on the clock before halftime, rather than kicking a long field goal, Brady heaved a 39-yard pass to Miller, who ran 20.64 mph past cornerback Kevin King to give the Bucs a 21-10 lead at the break. The Buccaneers’ win percentage increased from 66% to 83% with that touchdown, according to ESPN Statistics & Info research.
“Look at Scooter … running by [King],” Brady said. “Bowling Green State University’s finest … We’re not playing it safe. No risk it, no biscuit!”
The second play breakdown was where Brady shined in this clip, though, revealing the type of self-deprecation one wouldn’t expect from a seven-time Super Bowl winner, but showing that, yes, he really is human, and he really didn’t think it was over after he failed to connect on a pass to tight end Cameron Brate with 38 seconds to go in a loss to the Bears. Brady previously said he was focusing on yardage and not on what down it was, but it left room for interpretation as to whether he knew it was fourth down or not.
“You guys remember this one?” Brady asked, before face-palming himself. “Fourth quarter, last chance in Chicago. I thought it was the second-to-last chance in Chicago, but apparently not. I don’t think I’ve ever been as confused as I am in this moment right here. Look at that face.”