Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles feels the team would be far better next season if they stopped waiting for star quarterback Tom Brady to steal victory from the jaws of defeat week in and week out.

There is no denying how important Brady has been to every team he’s led. Throughout much of his legendary career, he was often the best player on the New England Patriots and Buccaneers squads, and in 42 different cases, the 44-year-old rescued his teams from a loss with a fourth-quarter comeback win.

However, Bowles does not want to see that from his starting QB in 2022. Not just because he will be 45 years old and playing high-level football, but because he believes his team would be better off if they carry the winning load together instead of relying so much on Brady’s right arm to win games.

During a Monday appearance on the “Ira Kaufman Podcast (via JoeBucsFan), Bowles proclaimed that the rest of the Bucs need to make Brady’s “job easier” next season and earn their keep.

“I think if everyone gets to the mindset of, ‘We need to make Tom’s job easier not him make our job easier,’ we’ll be a better team. If we don’t have to rely on the heroics, sort of speak, and everybody’s doing their job and earning their keep, we’ll be a better team … There was a few games that we shouldn’t have even been in. If we take care of our business that way, more of a team-like thing, we’ll be a better team.”

Brady is a 15-time Pro Bowler, including last season for the Bucs. After deciding to retire earlier his year, the NFL legend walked back his decision about a month later. 

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Welcome to the WNBA: Caitlin Clark sets infamous record in debut
Jalen Brunson leads Knicks to blowout win in Game 5 vs. Pacers
Nikola Jokic torches DPOY to lead Nuggets past Wolves in Game 5
Oilers use late heroics to tie Canucks at two games each
Watch: Astros pitcher ejected after foreign substance check
Kirk Cousins not angry with Falcons because winning is 'hard enough'
Bronny James has surprising comments on potentially teaming up with LeBron
Bills add two-time Super Bowl champ to new-look WR room
Brewers lose team-leading home run hitter to injured list
Sandy Alderson denies involvement in Mets, Billy Eppler IL controversy
Twins reliever shut down for six weeks with patellar tendon tear
Chris Finch throws shade at Nuggets star over Rudy Gobert’s fine
Cardinals head coach warns not to bet against Kyler Murray
Details emerge on Jason Kelce’s role at ESPN
Rangers defenseman wins Mark Messier Leadership Award
Ex-NFL head coach takes over as Arena Football League commish
Yankees young stud takes major step in return from injury
See top groupings for Rounds 1 and 2 at 2024 PGA Championship
Former Bruins winger dead at 75
Super Bowl-winning safety plans to retire after 2024 season