GOAT's day off: How Tom Brady celebrated his 44th birthday at Buccaneers camp
TAMPA, Fla. — There’s no such thing as a full practice off for Tom Brady, even on his special day.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians gifted Brady with a break from training camp for his 44th birthday, but the quarterback was still present at the AdventHealth Training Center on Tuesday morning.
Though he sported his orange quarterback jersey, Brady wasn’t in pads like the rest of his teammates, who practiced inside for a second consecutive day due to torrential rain in the Tampa area. Since camp began, the team has battled extreme heat while practicing outdoors in front of fans. No fans were present in the indoor facility Tuesday.
Brady chummed it up with coaches and teammates as the other quarterbacks ran drills. He did a couple high knees here and there, too. But he wasn’t checked out. When Blaine Gabbert was under center, the seven-time Super Bowl champion focused in on a few of the backup quarterback’s snaps, moving his head and eyes to see how the plays unfolded.
Though safety Antoine Winfield Jr. picked him off during one rep, Gabbert had a solid day, and Arians likes what he’s seeing from the 11-year veteran.
“He was on fire today and he knows where the ball should go, when it should go there and he can make every throw,” Arians said. “Now, sometimes, he’s got so much talent he tries to fit one in a little tiny window … but that’s usually in practice to see if he can get it in there.”
With Brady out for the day, fellow backups Ryan Griffin and rookie Kyle Trask got some reps in, too.
Still adjusting to Todd Bowles’ defense, the newly drafted quarterback out of Florida is just 23, nearly half Brady’s age. Tyler Johnson, a breakout receiver for the Bucs in his rookie season last year, is 22. Their starting quarterback has been around a while.
With Brady’s old age — in football terms, that is — comes knowledge and experience. Johnson said the star quarterback coaches up every player on the team.
“It’s just a blessing to be around him,” he told reporters after practice.
Wide receiver Chris Godwin is amazed at Brady’s youthful energy, despite being well into his forties. He told reporters Brady’s longevity is a testament to his preparation and commitment to healthy living. He’s said he’s not sure if he’ll be on the football field as long as Brady has been, but what his quarterback has accomplished inspires him.
“That sounds so crazy to me that he’s 44 years old because I’m like, he’s damn near 20 years older than me,” Godwin said.
While teammates and coaches wished Brady well on his birthday, Tuesday’s practice was devoid of spectacle. If COVID-19 wasn’t still rampant, Arians said they might have surprised Brady with a cake. But that didn’t happen, so it was just another day at practice during a pandemic.
That’s how it seemed for Brady, at least — minus not taking reps or wearing pads. Sometimes, when he watched Gabbert play, it was with the kind of laser focus that screamed, "I don’t want this guy to take my job."
It’s that attention to detail that separates him — even at a chill training camp practice on his 44th birthday.
“Just watch him prepare. Watch him practice,” Arians said. “Nobody’s more intense out there than him.”
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