Tom Brady will return to Raymond James Stadium next Sunday for the first time since the final game of his 23-year NFL career in January 2023.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion, who spent three years with Tampa Bay from 2020-2022 and was named Super Bowl LV MVP in Tampa’s 31-9 win over the Chiefs, will provide play-by-play commentary for FOX when the 2-1 Bucs host the 2-1 Eagles at 1 p.m.
News from next weekend: Tom Brady will be back in Tampa in Week 4 to call the Buccaneers-Eagles game. Follow. pic.twitter.com/X65xPOqblW
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 22, 2024
Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady – Photo courtesy of USA Today
Brady He will retire in February 2023. It came just a few weeks after he and the Buccaneers were eliminated from the postseason in the wild-card round. The 45-year-old quarterback completed 35 of 66 passes for 351 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a 31-14 loss to the Cowboys in Tampa. It was a bittersweet ending to his Buccaneers and NFL career, but it didn’t erase his legacy as a great man.
He previously agreed to a 10-year, $375 million contract to join FOX as an analyst, but did not immediately begin his broadcasting career, instead exploring other ventures throughout 2023 and making his FOX debut at the start of the 2024 season.
He called the first three Cowboys games of the season, debuting with the Cowboys vs. Browns in Week 1. He then called the Cowboys vs. Saints game in Week 2 and the Cowboys vs. Ravens game in Week 3, which ended in a draw.
But in Week 4 in Dallas on Thursday Night Football (broadcast on Amazon Prime Video), the powers that be had to find an assignment for Brady outside of the Cowboys, and it ultimately provided a chance for him to return to the stadium he called home for the final three seasons of his career.
Tom Brady made Bucs history in just three years
Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady – Photo courtesy of USA Today
After 20 years and six Super Bowl appearances with the New England Patriots, Tom Brady became a free agent for the first time in 2020 and ultimately chose to sign with the Buccaneers. It was a huge, immediate success for a team that had been struggling with quarterback play.
Tampa Bay went from 7-5 after the bye week to winning four straight games to finish the season, snapping a streak of 12 consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance.
Once in the playoffs, Brady and the Buccaneers went on a magical run, defeating the Washington Football Team, Saints and Packers on the road to earn themselves a chance to become the first team to win a Super Bowl in their home stadium, and then Tampa Bay beat Kansas City 31-9 behind a stellar defense and three touchdowns from Brady, who was named Super Bowl MVP for the fifth time.
The Tom Brady deal gave the Buccaneers their second Lombardi Trophy in one year.
In the 2021 season, the Buccaneers fell two wins short of winning back-to-back Super Bowls, but still won a franchise-record 13 games and captured their first NFC South title since 2007.
And we all know what happened after that. Brady retired after the 2021 season, but just 40 days after retiring, he announced his return for a 23rd season. His third year with Tampa Bay was less impressive as the team struggled, finishing 8-9, but it was still enough to win the division again.
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers won a Super Bowl championship, three playoff appearances, and two NFC South titles in three seasons. Brady finished his Buccaneers career with 14,643 passing yards.Third-most among Buccaneers quarterbacks.He finished with 108 touchdown passes (2nd), 1,376 completions (2nd) and 2,062 pass attempts (3rd). Tampa Bay went 32-18 in his three seasons and 5-2 in the postseason.
The day will come when Tom Brady will be chosen to wear the Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor inside Raymond James Stadium, but for now, he’s back in Tampa to call the action for next Sunday’s Week 4 game between his former team and the Philadelphia Eagles.
