Firing Byron Leftwich was always the right move for the Buccaneers, but it might not be the best move for keeping Tom Brady.
It is tiring to be back at this point again, but here we all are wondering what Tom Brady wants for the 2023 NFL season. Does he want to stay with the Buccaneers? Does he want to find a new home?
The media generally seems split. A lot of the national media members seem to think that Brady will look for a new team where he can maximize his chances of winning in 2023, which makes sense on its face, but the local media tends to agree that Brady staying in Tampa actually is his best chance of winning.
This was at least partially true before the Buccaneers finally decided to fire Byron Leftwich.
Firing Leftwich is the right move for the Bucs, especially if their goal is to start focusing on the future and avoiding the mistakes of the 2022 season, but it might not be the best move for keeping Brady in pewter and red.
One of the biggest selling points for Brady to stay with the Bucs was that he knew the players, system, and offensive coordinator. Leftwich, for all his flaws in 2022, was Brady’s coordinator during two of the best years of his career and a key part of the Super Bowl win in the 2020 season.
Coming back to Tampa would be safe in this regard, even if it didn’t all come together this season.
Leftwich being gone is going to bring a new face in at offensive coordinator, a likely scheme change, and it also stands to reason that the Bucs will lose some faces on offense due to a tight salary cap situation.
What looked like a safe return to something Brady already knew well is slowly getting turned on its head. There are still plenty of reasons for the GOAT to come back to Tampa with some of the best weapons of his career, but there is also a better chance today that he doesn’t come back than there was yesterday.
If the Bucs really do want to keep Tom Brady in Tampa, they will need to navigate the next few weeks carefully, but fans shouldn’t hold their breath.
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