Buccaneers LB reveals what he learned from Tom Brady

Quarterback Tom Brady retired and walked away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers "for good" this past February but nevertheless left his former teammates with important lessons stemming from his three seasons with the organization. 

"What did he instill in us, you know, even though that he’s gone? Never take the game for granted," Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David said about Brady during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, per the JoeBucsFan website. "You never know what play will be your last and you got to keep on continue fighting when you’re out there on the field." 

Brady famously announced his first retirement in February 2022 but then confirmed the following month he was returning to the Buccaneers for at least one more season. The seven-time Super Bowl champion then experienced off-the-field troubles related to his divorce from Gisele Bündchen after 13 years of marriage they announced in late October. Rumors surfaced on multiple occasions last fall claiming Brady could retire a second time before the conclusion of the 2022 campaign, but the future Hall of Famer instead helped Tampa Bay win the NFC South title with a disappointing 8-9 record. 

Brady and the Buccaneers fell to the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 in the wild-card round of the playoffs. 

Even though Tampa Bay safety Antoine Winfield Jr. raised eyebrows when he recently said he believes the club is "still reaching out to (Brady) trying to see if he’s trying to come back to the team," there's zero indication TB12 will play for any franchise this season. Brady turns 46 years old on Aug. 3. 

"The competitiveness that he has, it was second to none," David continued about Brady. "I’ve never seen nothing like it in all my years playing football. That’s something I definitely take from him." 

Barring a shocking development, free-agency signing Baker Mayfield will compete with 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask regarding the Tampa Bay starting job during training camp and the preseason.