Bruce Arians changes tune on Tom Brady critique: ‘I don’t know why anyone’s criticizing Tom’
Bruce Arians said Wednesday that Tom Brady is "not getting enough credit for what he’s doing.” Mark LoMoglio/Associated Press
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Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians has made headlines in the 2020 season for not being afraid to criticize Tom Brady.
Instead of offering continuous praise and support, Arians has been blunt in analyzing Brady’s performance. The longtime coach has admitted Brady’s been “confused” and candidly assessed that the team’s success comes down to whether “the quarterback plays well or not” during various observations over the course of the season.
Yet after the Buccaneers’ recent win over the Vikings, which brought the team to 8-5, Arians appears to have shifted his tone.
“I don’t know why anyone’s criticizing Tom,” Arians said Wednesday. “What he did at the end of the half and to start the second half [against] Minnesota — very, very few teams can score 17 points in a matter of five or six minutes. If we finished the half with 17 points, I don’t [care] how we start. He’s not getting enough credit for what he’s doing.”
Arians also noted that he believes Brady has had a “Pro Bowl year.”
Tampa Bay plays Atlanta at 1 p.m. on Sunday as the Buccaneers continue to push for a playoff spot.
From November: Tom Brady dealing with rare criticism, and other thoughts