Advertisement

Listen Now! We know Brady will be ready, but what about the rest of the Buccaneers?

Tim Walters, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·4 min read
1

When Tom Brady entered his first training camp in July of 2000, Bill Clinton was finishing up his second term as President of the United States.

NSYNC’s song “It’s Gonna Be Me” was the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 song.

And “Nutty Professor II: The Klumps” was the No. 1 movie in America.

A lot has changed in 22 years.

Joe Biden is the fourth person to hold the Presidency post-Clinton.

“About Damn Time” by Lizzo is the No. 1 song.

And “DC League of Super-Pets” was the No. 1 movie when camps got going two weeks ago.

Previous three podcast columns:

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady throws a pass during NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 28, 2022, in Tampa, Fla.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady throws a pass during NFL football training camp, Thursday, July 28, 2022, in Tampa, Fla.

Here’s another amazing stat: It’s no surprise Brady is the all-time leader in postseason victories against AFC teams, with 25.

However, he’s also second all-time in postseason victories against NFC teams, with 10. He won six Super Bowls against NFC teams, and he has four NFC playoff victories in two years since joining the Buccaneers. If he gets three more postseason wins against NFC teams, he’ll become the all-time leader. Right now, Brett Favre holds the record with 12.

A person could spend days poring over stats to come up with amazing things about Brady.

But perhaps the greatest is this: after turning 45 on Aug. 3, he will become the ninth-oldest player to compete in an NFL game when the 2022 season begins.

By January, he would become the sixth-oldest, as he can surpass Ben Agajanian, John Nesser and Gary Anderson this season.

However, if the Tampa Bay Buccaneers want to make it to another Super Bowl, they’ll need more than just their ageless superhero quarterback to step up.

Last year’s injury-decimated defense was aging and struggling entering the playoffs while the offense was sluggish at times, mainly because the receiving corps was also plagued by injury.

So, what have the Buccaneers done to improve their status as they have hopes for a second title in three years?

To find out, we talk to Luke Easterling, who covers the Buccaneers for USA TODAY. Luke is the latest guest on "The *State* of Florida Sports Podcast," powered by the USA TODAY Network.

Luke will tell us about the status of some of the Buccaneers’ biggest stars who have injuries and are question marks as the start of the season nears.

He’ll discuss what impact, if any, new additions Julio Jones and tight end Kyle Rudolph may have.

"If you're expecting Kyle Rudolph to be Rob Gronkowski, you're probably gonna be disappointed because there's only ever been one Rob Gronkowski on this planet," Easterling says on the podcast. "Now what he is, is a pretty darn good replacement because he's big, he's athletic, he's well-rounded, he can block, he can catch...

"I don't care how old Julio Jones is. He says he's 100% healthy, he's back to full speed and he's not going to have to play all the snaps ... he'll be a red zone nightmare."

Luke will also update us on Leonard Fournette’s weight issue (he had topped out at 260 pounds) and he’ll discuss the possibility of the Buccaneers trading for a star defensive end.

If you’re a fan of the Buccaneers, you’ll want to be sure to check out this podcast.

Join the tens of thousands that have downloaded us and find out why we give you the best sports breakdowns in the state.

We can be downloaded wherever you listen to podcasts, or simply type in “The *State* of Florida Sports Podcast” into your favorite search engine. We also can be found on any of the 17 USA TODAY-Network Florida websites.

If you like it, you can check out previous shows, which feature current and former professional athletes and coaches, as well as our stable of journalists who cover beats and write columns, all of whom have a tie to the Sunshine State.

Contact Walters at twalters@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Bucs reporter Luke Easterling joins state podcast to talk 2022 outlook