How the Tampa Bay Buccaneers transformed in one season
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers went from zero to hero in one season.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have pulled off the impossible. It still doesn’t feel real, but Tom Brady and the Bucs are on their way to the Super Bowl against all odds.
The uphill battle for this moment began many months ago when the Bucs decided to take a chance on a 43-year-old free agent rather than sticking it out with the franchise quarterback that just threw for 5,109 yards and 33 touchdowns.
When the news initially broke, many fans had no clue how to react. Many were upset at the departure of Jameis Winston, while others questioned the decision to mortgage some of the future to bring in an aging quarterback with tons of leverage.
The Buccaneers did make changes for Brady, but changes that would have only happened with Brady on the team. Would Antonio Brown really take a chance with the Bucs without Brady at the helm? Would Rob Gronkowski come out of retirement and then request a trade to Tampa Bay?
Tampa Bay kept everything else constant with the offense, even the “no risk it, no biscuit mentality” that analysts crushed at times, and the Buccaneers still saw a dramatic change in the season.
The Buccaneers gave both of their past quarterbacks the same chance to succeed, but Brady is the GOAT for a reason.