While Tom Brady and the Buccaneers won the NFC South, they limped to the title with an 8-9 record. Former head coach Bruce Arians thinks Brady's marital problems played a role in the Buccaneers' struggles.
Brady had a public divorce with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen. Brady's decision to return to the field after retiring prior to the 2022 season seemed to be a sticking point in their marriage. With tension at home and his marriage on the rocks, Arians thinks it affected Brady's play on the field, via the Rich Eisen Show.
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“Tom wasn't himself, you know, with all the things that were going on,” Arians said. “And I got to give him all the credit in the world for battling through what he went through last year for his teammates. I think the world of him but it wasn't the real Tom Brady out there.”
Tom Brady led the league in passing attempts (733) and completions (490). However, his 4,694 passing yards and 25 touchdowns were a stark decrease from last year's numbers. Furthermore, Brady's 6.4 yards per attempt was his lowest since 2022.
While they snuck into the playoffs, Tampa Bay was quickly eliminated. Brady decided to call it a career. After 15 Pro Bowls, three MVPs and of course seven Super Bowls, Brady will undoubtedly be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
However, at least to Bruce Arians, Brady's final season ended on a sour note. As Brady dealt with issues at home, Arians thinks he was distracted on the gridiron. Luckily for Brady, his NFL career will be remembered for more than just one lousy season. His relationship with Gisele Bündchen isn't coming back though.