Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans have suffered for a long time. Up until the early 2000s, the team had never been near a playoff game, let alone a Super Bowl. That all changed in 2002 when the Buccaneers, led by new coach Jon Gruden, captured their first Super Bowl in franchise history. After that season the Bucs had some winning seasons, but nothing like that fateful 2002 season.
Things got even worse in the 2010s, as a quarterback carousel highlighted a team that was going nowhere fast. From 2010 to 2019, the Buccaneers finished in the bottom half of their division eight times! Their only winning season came in 2016 when they posted a 9-7 record. That season, the team was led by Jameis Winston, who was finally coming into his own. Winston would go on to throw 28 touchdowns, which would be overshadowed by his 18 interceptions.
Quarterback consistency was the missing piece of the puzzle for the Buccaneers throughout the 2010s. From Josh Freeman to Mike Glennon and Josh McCown, the Buccaneers were searching for answers at quarterback, and couldn’t find one to save their lives. Then comes in Jameis Winston.
Winston is an extremely talented quarterback who is known for his deep arm. When the Buccaneers drafted his hopes were high, as fans envisioned Winston as being the franchise quarterback the team so desperately needed. For the most part, Winston showed that he had the potential of being the franchise quarterback, as he racked up a whole lot of touchdowns during his Buccaneers tenure. Alas, he would also rack up the interceptions as well, as he is infamously known as “being the guy who threw 30 TD’s and 30 INT’s” in the same season.
Even though he struggled, it seemed the franchise was sticking with Winston for the long haul; that is until Tom Brady became available. Yes, having Tom Brady available will quickly derail any five-year plan you may have set in place.
I distinctly remember when it was clear that Tom Brady wasn’t going back to the Patriots. Rumors were swirling, involving every single team. One week everybody was certain he was going to Tennesee, the next it was Jacksonville. Finally, the future Hall of Famer signed in the sunshine state and came to Tampa Bay. What has ensued has been nothing but severance pay for the years the Buccaneers fans had to suffer.
Brady brought the missing piece to the Buccaneers puzzle; quarterback consistency. Bringing in Brady paid off handsomely as he delivered a Super Bowl in his first season. So far in his second season, he has dominated as well. Buccaneers fans had their patience tested for such a long time that they were now rewarded with the G.O.A.T. In my opinion, you can’t ask for much more.
Hopefully, the Buccaneers get back to their winning ways on Monday against the Giants. If one thing is for certain, I am positive Brady will bounce back and have a monster of a game. What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!