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With the return of seven-time Super Bowl Champion quarterback Tom Brady, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are gearing up for another season with their eyes are fixed on one thing: hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in the air on Super Bowl Sunday. At training camp on Monday, Brady commented on how the Bucs are not making excuses for their disappointing 30-27 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the playoffs last season.
Welcoming Jones
The NFL was taken by storm with the announcement of Julio Jones joining the Bucs in Tampa. Jones spent a decade in Atlanta with the Falcons before moving to Tennessee to join the Titans last season.
In 2021, Jones was plagued with injuries and only appeared in ten games. He posted career-low numbers consisting of 31 catches, 434 yards and one touchdown with the Titans. Despite a down season, the seven-time Pro-Bowler signed a one-year deal, worth $6 million in base salary with a potential maximum value of $8 million.
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Jones commented on being eager to be a part of something new and get to work.
Brady has been credited with being an exceptional recruiter for the Bucs. However, when asked about his recruiting efforts, he humbly denied players choosing Tampa Bay simply on the basis of him being there. According to Brady, talented players like Jones chose to join the Bucs because of the people in the organization.
Brady Calls on Hainsey to Step Up
The Bucs sustained a serious blow Thursday at training camp when center Ryan Jensen was carted off the field following a left knee injury. Brady is calling on second-year lineman Robert Hainsey to get the job done for the Bucs.
The Bucs drafted Hainsey in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft from Notre Dame. He saw action in four games and delivered 29 offensive snaps last season. Hainsey commented on embracing the challenge of filling Jensen’s shoes, while still striving to be the best version of himself.
“I’m not Ryan Jensen, that’s not who I’m trying to be. I have to be myself. But that chip on his shoulder that he plays with — if I’m out there, I think I wanna have a little bit of that myself because I owe that to him and whoever’s out there owes that to him to continue that presence of the type of man and the type of player he is on the field.”
Kicking Off the Season
The Bucs travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys for their season opener on Sept. 11. Tampa Bay faces off against the New Orleans Saints the following week, before returning to the Sunshine State to host the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 25.
