05 January 2023 , 17:24
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Tom Brady admitted he is proud of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for reaching the postseason in 2022 after a testing year for the quarterback both on and off the field.
On Sunday, the Buccaneers secured their second successive NFC South division title as they came from behind to defeat the Carolina Panthers 30-24 at Raymond James Stadium. Brady threw for 432 yards and three touchdowns - all deep balls to star receiver Mike Evans - without producing a turnover while he also pulled off a quarterback sneak to score and book his ticket to the playoffs.
In a crucial contest, Evans put up his best performance of the season so far to the tune of 10 catches for 207 yards along with three touchdowns. The 29-year-old scored on receptions of 63, 57 and 30 yards to become the first player in NFL history to begin a career with nine consecutive seasons with 1,000-plus yards receiving.
Brady produced a classic fourth-quarter comeback to secure his 14th straight playoff appearance and the 19th divisional title of his illustrious career. The 45-year-old has missed the postseason just once in his 21-year career as a starting quarterback.
Brady’s third season in Tampa threatened to be derailed by his well-publicised divorce from model Gisele Bundchen after their 13-year marriage. Following the clinching victory over the Panthers, Brady jumped on his ‘Let’s Go!’ Podcast with Jim Gray to discuss the difficult path to the postseason.
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“That’s what life’s about. A lot of resilience, overcoming different obstacles over the course of the year, and then ultimately coming together for a common goal,” Brady said. “That’s why I love team sports.
“I always say, do you care about your team and the people on your team? And do you care about the mission? And that’s what makes a great teammate to me.
Tom Brady is set to enter free agency once his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers expires at the end of the season (Chris O'Meara/AP/REX/Shutterstock)“We all are going through stuff, you know, we’re people, and we’re all going through stuff, and obviously, we’re all professionals, and we wanna show up to work and do our best. And when you’re a professional, that’s what professional means.”
The seven-time Super Bowl champion added: “You show up every day with the best possible attitude you can have. You try to compartmentalise things and really focus on what your job is.”
Despite the tribulations he faced, Brady led the 8-8 Bucs to the postseason after throwing for 4,610 passing yards - second in the NFL behind Patrick Mahomes. In the playoffs, the Buccaneers will host a home game in a few weeks where they will play either the Dallas Cowboys or the Philadelphia Eagles.
Brady and the Buccaneers are next in action on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons in the final regular season match of the 2022 campaign.