The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were already moving on to life without Tom Brady and had even initiated the process of trying to see if another starter was available at a time when an unprecedented number of star quarterbacks were on the move.
“We had started to uncover as many stones as we possibly could,” Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians told NFL Network Saturday at the annual league meeting. “We would’ve turned over every stone. … (Bucs GM Jason Licht) did his calls. We were in the midst of all that stuff when Tom decided to come back and thank God we could say, ‘No thanks, brother. We’re out of it.’ “
Brady had announced his retirement Feb. 1 after what would’ve been his 22nd season in the NFL. Then, on March 13, Brady reversed course and announced that he had changed his mind and that he’d be back in Tampa for his 23rd campaign. Brady’s decision to come back came right around the time when quarterbacks like Russell Wilson (traded from the Seahawks to the Broncos), Matt Ryan (traded from the Falcons to the Colts), Deshaun Watson (traded from the Texans to the Browns) and Carson Wentz (traded from the Colts to the Commanders) were all available.
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Now, Brady will rejoin a team that looks like one ready to contend in an NFC that has seen a number of departures. The Buccaneers finished the season 13-4, but lost in the divisional round to the eventual Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams. 
And even though Brady will be 45 at the start of next season, he’s coming off of a stellar year in which he completed 67.5% of his throws and led the NFL in completions (485), attempts (719), passing yards (5,316) and passing touchdowns (43). Brady finished second in MVP voting behind Aaron Rodgers.
“The way he played last year, it might have been his best year ever,” Arians told NFL Network. “There’s no drop off — Week 16, playoffs, he was on fire. And there won’t be any drop off this year. Coming after the season I said, ‘Tom, how do you feel?’ He said, ‘This is the best physically I’ve felt in years after a season.’ So I say, ‘Okay, we’ll keep that light on for sure, brother.’ “
Reports surfaced after the end of the season that there was a fissure in the relationship between Brady and Arians, something Arians dismissed as the duo are set for their third season together.
“I have no clue where it comes from,” Arians said said. “Somebody’s got to write a story every day about something. Tom and I have a great relationship. Even during the retirement: ‘Where you at?’ ‘I’m in Italy.’ ‘How’s it going?’ ‘Got the kids over here.’ You know, just checking on him. I can’t get him back on the golf course because he’s traveling too much, so I can’t win enough money off of him.”
Though Pro Bowl guard Ali Marpet announced his retirement and opted to stay retired after Brady came back, the Buccaneers have actually bolstered their roster since the start of the new league year March 14, trading with the Patriots for guard Shaq Mason and signing receiver Russell Gage.
Now, with one full season between Tampa’s victory over the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55, when Brady won his NFL record fifth Super Bowl MVP, the Buccaneers are looking for one more.
“They know what Tom brings and we got a shot for another ring,” Arians said of the additions to the roster. “And that’s it. That’s bottom line. It’s all about the ring again. Not reloading, not seeing who’s going to do this, who’s going to do that, how we are we going to fit this guy in. Everybody knows their role again right now. …
“The smile really hasn’t come off my face. I’m drinking too much, but other than that it’s been a constant celebration. It was huge for us to have Tom back.”

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