New Buccaneer Brady is 'excited, humble, hungry'

TAMPA • While Florida is a retirement destination for many Americans, for Tom Brady, it is the site of his next act and a place where he could further cement his legacy as the National Football League's best quarterback.

The 42-year-old on Friday night made it official that he would leave the New England Patriots - where he spent 20 seasons and won six Super Bowls - to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a reported one year, US$30 million (S$43.5 million) contract.

The decision to go to the Bucs, who have not made the play-offs since 2008, was initially a head-scratcher, but the move does give Brady an excellent opportunity to further chase history before retiring.

Last season, he was frustrated with the receivers available to him, but he will have plenty of targets with his new squad, chiefly Chris Godwin and Mike Evans, who both topped 1,000 yards receiving last season.

The team, whose only Super Bowl victory came in 2002, also have a solid offensive line, a stout defence and a veteran coach in Bruce Arians.

Brady will also reportedly have an unprecedented level of control over the team.

He wants to be included in decisions about the roster as well as play-calling, according to ESPN, which would give him an even greater share of the glory if he can turn the Bucs, who finished 7-9 last year, into contenders.

Expressing his delight with the move, Brady, who posted up a photo of his contract signing on his Instagram page, said: "Excited, humble and hungry.

"If there is one thing I have learnt about football, it's that nobody cares what you did last year or the year before that. You earn the trust and respect of those around through your commitment every single day.

"I'm starting a new football journey and I'm thankful for the Buccaneers for giving me an opportunity to do what I love to do. I look forward to meeting all my new teammates and coaches and proving to them that they can believe and trust in me."

The Bucs are certainly getting a big upgrade at the quarterback position - Brady has won more games (249) than any of their past quarterbacks have done so in the last 30 seasons (210).

Winning the championship with his new team would also be historic. Only one other quarterback, Peyton Manning, has won Super Bowls with two different teams - first with the Indianapolis Colts, and then with the Denver Broncos.

Godwin is open to giving up his No. 12 shirt to Brady "just out of respect for what he's done".

"The biggest thing is that we have a great player coming down to join a bunch of great players that we have," he told ESPN.

"Once we mesh all that together, it's gonna be scary how good we can be."

REUTERS