The NFL just put a little bow on what was a tumultuous season for Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. The seven-time Super Bowl champion was fined $16, 444 for attempting to trip safety Malik Hooker in last week's Wild Card playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys, as reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The incident took place after Hooker recovered a fumble committed by Tampa Bay wide receiver Chris Godwin in the third quarter (play later reversed). It was hardly the first time Brady showed his frustrations about the 2022-23 season.
Brady should be able to sleep alright despite the league's fine, but might find it hard to move on from the other disappointments that befell his team. The Buccaneers went 8-9 before being routed, 31-14, by the Cowboys in the postseason. Brady was third in passing yards (4,703) and also had a respectable 25 touchdown passes, but the stats do not accurately depict the struggles he and the offense consistently endured.
The Bucs ranked 25th in points scored, according to Pro Football Focus. That type of production is seldom seen from a Brady-led offense and had many people wondering if he would consider calling it a career at 45 years of age. Brady will now have to decide if he has anything left to give the sport to which he has dedicated half of his life. If so, he will enter the free agent market for the first time since he rocked the football world by signing with Tampa Bay after 20 seasons with the New England Patriots.
A potential destination could be the Las Vegas Raiders, who recently agreed to move on from Derek Carr. Head coach Josh McDaniels was Tom Brady's offensive coordinator on-and-off for 13 seasons on the Patriots and could provide the QB with the familiarity one tends to want in the twilight of their career.
Brady has a few big weeks ahead of him. As he contemplates his future, though, he will have just a little less walking-around money. Hopefully he will get by.
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