Thank you, Tom

[Xandtar]

Dear Tom,

I hope you're looking over the various fan boards today and find this.

I'll admit, before you came to Tampa, I was another typical NFL fan who disliked your team, the New England Patriots, because you always won so much, we blamed a weak division, etc. And we didn't like you, from pure envy.

Then you came. And with you, came greatness. By your personal example and leadership independent of your amazing skill at the QB position, you caused a team with a culture of losing football- my team, sadly- to change its whole mindset to that winning is the normal, winning is the expected, but winning comes by everyone being better than they'd ever been before, to be individually better at each of their positions so that with adequate coaching, the whole team became something better than I'd seen even in 2002, where only half the team achieved greatness.

I understand that next year would have been seen as a "farewell tour", with accolades and distractions and lots of stuff that would have been annoying at best. I can't say I didn't want that tour regardless. We'll miss you, Mr. Brady. But we understand completely why you stepped away.

As you move forward with your life, I wish you and your family all the best. I understand that when you put that yellow jacket on for the first time, it will be the Patriots you discuss, and why not? WE didn't draft you, they did. We didn't invest 20 years into you and your career, they did. But I hope late in that acceptance speech, we're more than a footnote, because we came to love you. To us, you'll always be a Buccaneer first.

Godspeed, Tom. May the wind always be at your back.

A Bucs Fan

[Snake]

It’s all downhill from here.

[Xandtar]

Well of course. We won the Super Bowl. We followed it up with the best record in the NFL in the regular season and two games in the playoffs.

The only uphill we could get would be 14-3 and better and a deeper playoff run.

I'm just hoping we don't fall so far before our next push towards the mountaintop.

[Buc2]

I got to see one of my favorite players play for my favorite team, not once, but twice. Albeit, both were losses, but that's okay. It was still a blast. One was a loss to the Rams last season. But I got to see that game with my youngest daughter. The 2nd was this season at WFT with my oldest daughter. Those losses will never take away from the 2 awesome experiences I got to share with my kids. And, it can't go without saying, I will always be appreciative of these last 2 seasons that TB helped make, not only possible but a reality. He helped give me some great memories these past 2 years and I will always be grateful for that.

Enjoy your next Chapter in Life, Mr. Brady. You more than earned it.

[Defense5599]

Well of course. We won the Super Bowl. We followed it up with the best record in the NFL in the regular season and two games in the playoffs.

The only uphill we could get would be 14-3 and better and a deeper playoff run.

I'm just hoping we don't fall so far before our next push towards the mountaintop.

It was an amazing run. Too bad it was so short. We're gonna fall due to cap constraints. Let's hope, like you said, we don't fall far and stay down long.

[Buccabeer]

Thank you Tom for setting a new standard in Tampa Bay. We have a new high to reach for and we'll be forever grateful to the leadership you brought to the team. It was a short run, but we'll take it and we'll be back. I hope you visit Ray Jay a few times and stay connected with Bucs Nation. Go Bucs!

[BLT]

Fuck you Tom for leaving us

JK you the goat thanks for everything

I miss him already