Details Emerge About Free Agent Meeting Between Tom Brady, Buccaneers

"His preparation, as usual, was next level."

Now that Tom Brady is a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, one question that has continues to burn inside the curious minded is: What went down during the meeting between the Buccaneers and Tom Brady?

In order for a team like the Buccaneers - who have not made the playoffs since 2007 - to convince Tom Brady - the greatest quarterback of all-time - to join their organization, one helluva pitch must have been given to the 42-year-old QB. 

Well, the details have now emerged regarding the free agent meeting between Brady and Tampa Bay, and based on the reporting by Tampa Bay Times' Rick Stroud, the meeting felt like more of an opportunity for Brady to pitch himself, and money was on the bottom of his list of priorities. 

Here is what Stroud wrote about the meeting in a column posted Saturday night:

"It was last Wednesday evening, the first day of the new league year, when the Bucs called Tom Brady.

"Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht was a scout with New England in 2000 and was in the draft room that year when the Patriots selected the quarterback out of Michigan in the sixth round, but he had no close personal relationship with Brady.

"On this night, Licht spoke first, then it was Bucs coach Bruce Arians’ turn.

"The conversation lasted about 90 minutes. Brady did a lot of the talking. In fact, the Bucs had gone in with a detailed plan and under the firm belief that they would have to make an aggressive sales pitch to have any chance of landing the six-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Instead, Brady interviewed Licht and Arians as much as they asked questions of him.

"His preparation, as usual, was next level. He knew all about Arians’ offense and was eager to operate it. He could recite, by position, the list of the Bucs’ offensive weapons. He was intrigued by the notion of having two Pro Bowl receivers, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. He didn’t ask about them as players. He wanted to know, 'Are they good guys?'

"The best, Licht assured.

"It was clear that Brady had watched some Bucs game film because he was impressed how well their defense had played the last six games of the 2019 regular season under defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, the former Jets head coach.

"It felt like Brady was recruiting the Bucs, and the 42-year-old spoke with a teenager’s enthusiasm.

"He spoke a lot about winning, and it was obvious to Licht and Arians that Brady’s competitiveness burns white hot, and the three-time league MVP still thinks he has something to prove. Maybe to Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Maybe just to himself.

"The Bucs appeared to check all the boxes. When they hung up the phone, Licht and Arians looked at each other incredulously, as if to say, 'Wow, this is really happening.'

"Brady never talked about money. In fact, it was last on the list of priorities that his agent, Donald Yee, had to discuss when the Bucs called at noon Monday as the NFL’s free agent negotiating period began. Brady signed a fair deal: two years, $50 million guaranteed. He can earn another $9 million with performance incentives."

It comes at no surprise that Brady was informed and well prepared for his meeting with Buccaneers brass. The veteran QB attacks everything with 110% effort, so he wasn't about to attack his first ever free agency with anything less than his typical preparation. But what is a little surprising is that the vibe in the room, according to Stroud, was that it felt like Brady was pitching himself. His resume would have easily done the talking for him, but given his age maybe Brady felt like some reassurances as to what he could accomplish going forward were needed. 

In the end, money wasn't a top priority, which shows how Brady really felt about his situation in New England. Him leaving the Patriots had nothing to do with finances; instead, it had to do with environment and personnel. It's also worth noting that later in the piece Stroud pointed out that Brady never asked for control of the Buccaneers' offense, which is something he reportedly wanted if he was going to stay in New England. 

Having trust in the coaching staff was something that seemed to have tarnished a bit during his time with the Patriots, which is why Brady felt his voice should be heard in terms of how things should be done. 

Stroud's reporting tells you all you need to know. It also shows how information gets out and how detailed reporting can be when it's not taking place inside Gillette Stadium. A detailed conversation like the one shared by Stroud would have never been leaked if it had happened between Brady, Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft.