Buccaneers LB shares surprising take about loss of Tom Brady

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Anthony Nelson doesn't sound too devastated over the departure of quarterback Tom Brady this offseason. 

"Honestly, just like less buzz, nothing different in the building," Nelson told Florida sports radio station WDAE on Monday about what's different this summer with Brady no longer at the team facility, according to the JoeBucsFan website. 

Nelson added he likes that the hype that was "surrounding us constantly the last three years just because of Tom" no longer hovers over the Buccaneers. 

Brady signed with the Buccaneers in March 2020, ended his first season as the club's QB1 by hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy and arguably should've earned Most Valuable Player honors for the subsequent campaign. However, multiple individuals have suggested Brady caused unnecessary distractions for Tampa Bay throughout last summer and fall as he dealt with events related to his divorce from Gisele Bündchen after 13 years of marriage. 

It also can't be ignored that an alleged "checked out" version of Brady largely underwhelmed during games as the 2022 Buccaneers limped to winning the division title with a record of 8-9. Per ESPN, Brady ended last regular season ranked 18th among qualified players with a 52.5 adjusted QBR and a 90.7 passer rating. 

Even though Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. indicated earlier this month that at least some within the team were holding onto the hope that the retired Brady could play this season, head coach Todd Bowles more recently made it known the club has "turned the page" amid the quarterback competition between free-agency signing Baker Mayfield and 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask.

Nelson also seems ready for the organization to put the Brady era in the past. 

"It was amazing playing with Tom but with that comes a bunch of buzz," Nelson continued during the radio segment. "I think just being under the radar is going to be good for us. … Inside the building, it feels the same [without Brady], a lot of guys like ready to go to work. We still got the same culture. Bowles has made sure of that and he’s done a really good job of that so far. It’s been mostly outside the building that’s been the difference."