TOM BRADY’S RETURN ALTERS NFL LANDSCAPE

BY ADAM GREENE

I think we all can relate. After two straight months with my family, I’m ready to get mauled by a 300 pound man myself. So it came as no real surprise to anyone that Tom Brady, winner of seven Super Bowls and the “Greatest Quarterback of all Time” decided coaching youth hockey wasn’t for him and strapped back on his spurs and gunbelt to make a return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The rumor all along was that Brady hadn’t really “retired” from football, but the Buccaneers. He didn’t like how 2021 went down and wanted to take some time off while they still controlled his rights. There were trade inquires, but head coach Bruce Arians made it clear that there would be no dealing TB12. He’d play for the Bucs or nobody.

“Nobody” lost that battle.

Brady announced on his Twitter Sunday, completely dunking on Adam Schefter in the process, that he was coming back to take care of some “unfinished business.”

Considering Brady has three un-ringed fingers and isn’t planning on taking up the bandsaw, that means he’s eyeing more Super Bowls.

And while the seismic moment of his announcement resonated in the NFL, the Buccaneer’s odds made a huge jump. And Brady himself is now in the MVP race before he’s even thrown a pass.

SUPER BOWL LVII

Tampa Bay jumped from the bottom of the pack to being tied at No. 2 as best bet to win the next Super Bowl at +800. They’re behind the Buffalo Bills (+750) and tied with the Chiefs (+800).

They are four spots above the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams (+1200), who defeated the Buccaneers in the playoffs along their championship run. For a while, they had the honor of being the final team to defeat Brady. But much like the poor sap who bought his “last touchdown ball,” for $518,000, it was not to be.

Are they a good bet? Yeah. Because Brady could still be Brady and since 2013 a team led by him has won the Super Bowl every other year. That means he’s due. As much as we all don’t want that to happen.

Personally, I still like the Rams to repeat if they can bring back Odell Beckham Jr. and Von Miller. The Sean McVay Rams are 3-0 against the Brady Bucs over the last two seasons and McVay is 5-0 against Bruce Arians.

But, like I said. Brady wins it every other year. It’s a solid streak.

2022-23 NFL MVP

Here’s where Brady really made a splash in his return. He’s now No. 2 in the Most Valuable Player odds at +900 behind only Josh Allen (+750) . He’s above Patrick Mahomes (+1000), Joe Burrow (+1000), Deshaun Watson (+1000) and the reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers (+1200).

There’s an argument to be made, and many made it, that Brady should have won it last season. All he did was lead the NFL in passing attempts, completed passes, passing yards and passing touchdowns while helping the Buccaneers to a 13-4 record and NFC South title.

Hell, they even won their first playoff game over the Philadelphia Eagles. Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers can’t claim that.

If this is a last ride (and Brady will be 45 at the end of it so it could be) anywhere near those numbers could make the voters hand him the trophy this time as he walks out the door.

That’s a solid bet.

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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