The bar has been raised in Tampa Bay with Tom Brady officially in town.
For 20 years in New England, Brady brought the best out of his Patriots teammates and galvanized the organization with his winning mentality. Now, the six-time Super Bowl champion will look to prove he can do the same in a Buccaneers uniform.
Bucs general manager Jason Licht was a player-personnel executive with the Patriots in 2002 and from 2009-11, so he's familiar with the positive impact Brady has on the rest of his team. Friday, he appeared on Sirius XM NFL Radio to share how Brady will set a new standard in Tampa.
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“It’s [an] incredible effect on the entire organization and team that goes beyond the players, too,” Licht said. “And as far as the team, they’re gonna know what the standard is now, and he’s going to bring the best out of everybody.
“You don’t realize it until you leave — I left New England — and you go to other organizations. I went to some great organizations, went to the Super Bowl with some other organizations, but it’s still not the same as being around Tom Brady. Just the effect that he has on everybody, bringing the best out of everybody.
“But not only players, it goes for coaches, it goes for coaches, it for front office, it goes for the business side. I mean, he’s just … everybody has to have their A-game at all times.”
Brady's new teammates are itching to get to work with their new QB. Wide receiver Mike Evans called it "surreal" to have the 42-year-old under center, while another of Brady's weapons, Chris Godwin, welcomed him to Tampa Bay and gifted him his No. 12.