Public criticism of six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady from his head coach led to speculation he could already be in the doghouse with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers lost at New Orleans in Week 1, when Brady threw a pick-6 and made other decisions openly chided by Bruce Arians, whose previous pupils include Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Carson Palmer. “Tom and I are fine, so I don’t really care what other people think. It’s just what he and I think,” Arians said Wednesday. “We left the stadium fine (and) we showed up today fine, so there (is) nothing to talk about.”
Arians said he “thought we were ready” and questioned the connection between Brady and his wide receivers.
But Arians emphasized turning the page, even borrowing Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s phraseology that Tampa is “onto Carolina.” The Buccaneers host the Panthers on Sunday.
Between now and then, Arians said he is paying little attention to any pundits already writing his team off in the NFC South.
“I was amused when they handed us the Lombardi trophy in July. It’s part of the business,” Arians said. “You go with it and it’s one week at a time (and) one day at a time. We win a few games in a row and everybody will be back on the bandwagon [and] happy. It’s just part of the game. If we lose this week, the world will come to an end.” Brady could be without wide receiver Chris Godwin (concussion) in Week 2. Mike Evans, limited last week by a hamstring injury, was able to practice Wednesday.
“He’s feeling good. He ran really well and had a good practice,” Arians said of Evans, who was officially listed as a limited participant in practice.
–Field Level Media ()