Tom Brady makes his long-awaited return to New England his week. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

A looming Week 4 showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New England Patriots has captured the attention of NFL fans everywhere.

This outing marks the first time quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick are squaring off since their divorce, prompting many to rehash what led to their breakup.

As if there weren’t storylines heading into this affair already, Patriots running backs coach Ivan Fears decided to add a little more fuel to the fire during a recent interview.

“Right now, that S.O.B. is the enemy,” he said, per Pro Football Talk. “However you put it, he’s coming in, he’s the enemy. I still love him, I think he’s a great person, but we’re not going to be sharing any love when it comes to game time.

“We’ll share that love afterwards, when it’s all said and done. I think he’s a great person, hell of a leader. I miss him as a person. Right now I’m happy for him, for the success he’s had. And I’m looking forward to trying to beat his butt. That’s what counts. That’s all that matters right now. We’re going after each other.”

It’s worth remembering, Patriots coaches openly mocked Brady when he struggled at times with the Buccaneers early last year. Then the tables turned when New England fell to the basement of the AFC East, while Brady went on to claim a seventh career championship with his new team.

For a million different reasons, Bucs-Patriots is going to be a can’t-miss event this weekend. Who will ultimately emerge with the bragging rights when it’s all said and done? Time will tell.

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