Buccaneers had code name for Tom Brady pursuit

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't need to do much to lure Tom Brady away from the New England Patriots, but they believed it was going to be a pretty difficult process.

With the low possibility Brady walked away from the Patriots after 20 years, the Buccaneers came up with a a code name for operation get the six-time Super Bowl champion to Tampa Bay.

It was dubbed "Operation Shoeless Joe Jackson," per ESPN.com's Ian O'Connor, because the likelihood Brady walked away from the Patriots was as likely former Chicago White Sox hitter Joe Jackson walking out of a cornfield in Iowa.

Buccaneers director of player personnel John Spytek came up with the code name because they wanted to keep any Brady speculation to a minimum in case the QB didn't sign with the team.

After all that, the Bucs ended up landing one of the best free agents the NFL has ever seen and Brady seems extremely excited to begin a new era under head coach Bruce Arians.