One of the biggest storylines throughout Tom Brady's tenure in Tampa Bay was his relationship with Bruce Arians. In joining the Buccaneers, Brady parted ways with longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who coached him for the first 20 seasons of his NFL career.
How Tom Brady would take to Bruce Arians was always going to be an interesting talking point, which truly manifested during their maiden season together. Arians was much more abrasive and quick to call out Brady than Bill Belichick ever was, which was partly why rumors began to circulate that their relationship wasn't exactly great.
But with Tom Brady returning for a third go-around with the Buccaneers alongside Bruce Arians, actions certainly speak louder than words barring a coaching change before the season begins. Arians himself spoke out just a few weeks after Brady's unretirement, expressing legitimate confusion at the rumored “rift” between both sides.
Via Adam Maya of NFL.com:
While many within the league never believed Brady was truly done, rumors surfaced that a rift had emerged between him and Arians, including reports that the 44-year-old was looking to play elsewhere in 2022. The mere mention of it all makes Arians laugh.
“I have no clue where it comes from,” the Buccaneers coach said of any beef with Tom Brady. “Somebody's got to write a story every day about something. Tom and I have a great relationship. Even during the retirement: ‘Where you at?' ‘I'm in Italy.' ‘How's it going?' ‘Got the kids over here.' You know, just checking on him. I can't get him back on the golf course because he's traveling too much, so I can't win enough money off of him.”
Winning a Super Bowl together in their very first season probably took a little of the edge off any potential friction between Tom Brady and Bruce Arians. They may not be the best of friends, but at the end of the day, they don't have to be.
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