Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady had the opportunity to gloat over the struggles of his former team, but he did not take advantage of it.

Brady has his Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 9-5 and in a good position to clinch a playoff spot. Meanwhile, his former team, the New England Patriots, is 6-8 and has been eliminated from playoff contention.

Brady was asked after his Bucs’ comeback win over the Falcons about the Patriots being eliminated. He didn’t take the bait.

“As far as the Patriots, they have their own thing going,” Brady said. “I’ve really been focused on how my play needs to be at quarterback, the execution of mine. They’re not really an opponent of mine. Obviously I have a lot of friends there, a lot of great relationships. But they’ve been focused on what they need to do, and I’ve been trying to focus on what my job is.”

Brady could have very easily said something about how tough it is to win without a great quarterback. He could have said something about that proving the Patriots were wrong for letting him go. But he didn’t.

The bigger statement will come when his team is playing in the postseason.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Pacers collapse down the stretch as Celtics sweep ECF
Hall of Famer, beloved broadcaster Bill Walton dead at 71
Jason Robertson leads Stars to comeback win over Oilers in Game 3
Despite recent form, Rafael Nadal's legacy is still gold standard for tennis
Bengals coach offers significant injury update on QB Joe Burrow
MLB officials expect automated ball-strike system to be implemented in 2026
Vikings reportedly considered Justin Jefferson trade during NFL Draft
A matured Kyrie Irving is finally proving to be the star we all knew he could be
Insider: Sixers 'a threat' to sign LeBron James in free agency
Week 14 NASCAR rankings: Larson's no-show shakes up the running order
Three hitters Braves should target after losing Ronald Acuna Jr.
Shohei Ohtani shares major update on his pitching rehab
Status of Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton revealed for Game 4 of ECF
Martins designate right-hander for assignment
Dave Pasch pays heartfelt homage to longtime broadcast partner Bill Walton
Rangers' Jacob Trouba fined $5K for elbowing Evan Rodrigues
Eagles players gush over leadership qualities of Saquon Barkley
NFL considering regular-season games in Dublin, Paris
Nationals designate former top prospect for assignment
Browns running back shares when he expects to return from torn ACL

Want more NFL news?

Join the hundreds of thousands of fans who start their day with Yardbarker's Morning Bark, the best newsletter in sports.