Buccaneers
Buccaneers QB Tom Brady spoke to the media following the team’s loss to the Cowboys in the first round of the playoffs and got emotional while saying that he truly hasn’t made a decision on his future.
“Not the way we wanted to end it, but we didn’t deserve it,” Brady said, via ESPN. “I give them a lot of credit. They played a good game. Made a lot more plays than we did, so a tough night. I think there’s a part of football where I feel like it’s — sometimes you get lucky, but most of the time, the team that earns it wins, and they played [well] all year.”
“I’m gonna go home and get a good night’s sleep — as good as I can tonight,” Brady added. “This has been all I’ve focused on — this game. It’ll just be one day at a time. Truly. It just feels like the end of the season. I just want to say thank you guys for everything you did this year. I really appreciate all your effort. I know it’s hard for you guys. I know it’s hard for us players to make it through. You guys got a tough job, and I appreciate all you guys do to cover us, and everyone who watches and is a big fan of the sport — we’re very grateful for everyone’s support. I love this organization. It’s a great place to be. Thank you everybody for welcoming me, all the regulars. And I’m just very grateful for the respect, and I hope I gave the same thing back to you guys. So thank you very much.”
Buccaneers LB Lavonte David and TE Cameron Brate commented on what it has been like to play alongside Brady over the past three seasons.
“It’s definitely a surreal feeling, to watch somebody as a kid, and then obviously getting the chance to be in the locker room and talking with him, competing against him [in practice] — you see why he is the guy he is, why he’s so great at playing quarterback,” David said. “I’m definitely appreciative of him. I told him, ‘No matter what, you’re the GOAT in my eyes.'”
“[He’s] a guy I looked up to my whole life and just the opportunity to learn under him — not just football but kind of just the way he handles himself with so many different things. He always handles himself — well, most of the time — with grace and humility,” Brate said of Brady. “It’s awesome that I got to do that. … It’s been amazing playing with Tom. Who knows what will happen with him. I know he’ll probably take some more time this year to figure out what he’s doing, like last year. But yeah, it’s been awesome.”
- Brate continued to speak to reporters about the team’s season: “It kind of felt like the whole year, we’ll get in the playoffs and figure it out. We did not. It’s the same story tonight, in the other games this year. You can’t consistently put yourself in a hole and expect to come out.” (Greg Auman)
- Brate also noted that he is aware this could have been his final game with the team after nine years: “No doubt. I knew that going into the game, it could be the last time … I’ll look back on my time very fondly with the Bucs. It was awesome. An awesome ride. It’s been great.” (Auman)
- Bucs LB Shaquil Barrett says said it was hard to watch his teammates from the sideline with a torn Achilles’ but expects to be fully healthy for the start of next season. (Auman)
- Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles said that WR Russell Gage, who was carted off in the fourth quarter, was hospitalized with a concussion and a potential neck injury. (Adam Schefter)
- A statement released by the team later revealed that Gage had movement in all his extremities and will undergo additional testing. Gage then tweeted that he is currently doing well and is in good spirits.
Panthers
- Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that Panthers defensive coordinator Al Holcomb would remain in Carolina should the team opt to hire Steve Wilks as their full-time head coach.
- However, Holcomb has permission to interview for other jobs, which is why he’s meeting with the Falcons for their defensive coordinator vacancy on Tuesday.
Saints
The Saints made a surprising draft trade with the Eagles last year to move up and select WR Chris Olave while adding another first-round pick they used on OT Trevor Penning. While Olave had a strong rookie season, Penning was hurt most of the year and the Eagles now have the No. 10 overall pick as part of this deal.
Saints GM Mickey Loomis was asked whether he has any regrets about the trade one year removed.
“It’s a little misleading, I think, to say we don’t have a number one (draft pick in 2023). We traded that and we had two number ones this year (in 2022). I’m really happy with those two guys,” Loomis said, via SaintsWire.com. “Not happy that Trevor was injured and that slowed his progress, but I think we’re really excited about Trevor and Chris as being part of our team. … I liked what we did, I liked the players we ended up with in this last draft, and today I wouldn’t change that.”
Loomis was asked if they made the trade in part knowing that they would eventually get something in return for HC Sean Payton.
“No, I never counted on getting anything for Sean. He might decide to do the media deal for five years. Who knows? So that’s not something,” Loomis said. “I know I have a history of spending cap going forward, but we weren’t spending draft capital going forward anticipating what we might get if he’d decide to coach again.”
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