How Tom Brady and the Buccaneers fit the fictional hero journey arc

The Buccaneers assembling the team

Meeting the Mentor

As the contract talks wound down, the agreement was signed in blood, just kidding.  Brady met his soon-to-be mentor; none other than Bruce Arians. “Would they would” and “could they could” were really the only questions.  Over the next 10 months, they worked together. And finally, Brady was able to show why play-action was a very good thing for the offense.  And things changed.

Finding Allies

The team was close, Brady felt. But they needed more weapons. They needed Rob Gronkowski, better known now as Robbie G to the initiated. In no time at all, another chink in the Bucs armor was filled. Then, Licht managed to pull in Leonard Fournette, a running back with a long history of taking over games.

Even though Brady had already roped in his best buddy, Gronk, he knew something was missing.  A few weeks into the season and both the Bucs’ number one and number two receivers went down with an injury. The team played through the issues, but Brady had better idea.

He talked to his mentor.  “I know this receiver who could really help us,” Brady suggested, or at least we think that’s what happened. But the Mentor was none-to-happy with bringing on Antonio Brown.

Arians knew that he had created problems for the Steelers and for the Patriots. But hero Brady persevered and made the case. Before you knew it, AB was in the fold at a bargain-basement price.