| Doug Pederson is gone, Nick Foles is gone and even Carson Wentz – the guy who was supposed to be the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback in Super Bowl LII – is gone form the City of Brotherly Love. The notion of Philly as a team capable of contending seriously for a championship is long, long gone and Tom Brady, the losing quarterback the last time it happened in February of 2018, is gone too, now two campaigns removed from his time with the New England Patriots. Yet for all the things to have happened in football and life (pandemic, anyone?) over the past three-plus years, that defeat in the NFL’s biggest game sits heavy on Brady in a way few other things are capable of. It picks at him still and we know because of how often he mentions it, with a frequency greater than any of his six titles collected in New England and the welcomed extra one he got in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Even just over a week ago, during his emotional return to Foxborough, a reference to the Eagles defeat surprisingly slipped out, unprompted, during his postgame interview with NBC’s Michele Tafoya. “Guys did a great job catching for me the last 22 years,” Brady said, after overtaking Drew Brees as the league’s all-time passing yards leader. “Everybody contributed. I sure as hell can’t catch anything, everyone’s seen that drop against the Eagles in the Super Bowl. But I can throw it a little bit. I’m glad I’ve got so many great guys that can catch it.” Brady was, of course, referring to the trick play attempted in the second quarter of the Patriots’ eventual 41-33 defeat in the Super Bowl, when the quarterback found himself in the unusual role of receiver and was wide open, only for Danny Amendola’s pass to bounce off his fingertips on a key third down. Trickery didn’t work for New England, but it certainly did for the Eagles. Minutes later, the Philly Special saw Foles receive a touchdown pass from Trey Burton, and the upset was on. Brady habitually lingers mentally on his handful of setbacks rather than his vast collection of successes and this week provides more cause for painful reminiscences, with the Bucs to take on the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday night (8:20 p.m. ET on FOX). Tampa Bay is a strong favorite (-6.5 with FOX Bet), but don’t expect anything other than Brady’s fullest attention. Every Super Bowl defeat, two to the New York Giants and the one to the Eagles, is an occurrence he wishes he could take back, and it fuels his fire to this day. In his Tom vs. Time documentary series, Brady admitted that seeing the disappointment of his children following the game was the worst part of the loss. “It was the first time I’d seen my kids react that way,” Brady said. “They were sad for me and sad for the Patriots.” Brady’s wife Gisele Bundchen tried to console their children, according to USA TODAY, by telling them that “you have to let someone else win sometimes.” In an interview with a Boston radio station more than a year later, he said: “You assume I’m over it? Come on now.” So yeah, there will a little extra spice for Brady when he faces the Eagles once more. Tampa Bay has had just one setback this season, losing to the Rams in Los Angeles, and have their sights firmly on another Super Bowl run. Last weekend brought a 45-17 destruction of the Miami Dolphins in which Brady looked very much at the top of his game. “Brady put on a masterpiece of a show,” FS1’s Skip Bayless said on “Undisputed.” “Brady’s arm strength is age 44 going on 24. He is pulling away with the MVP.” All things considered, Thursday’s game should not provide too much of a roadblock but Brady knows better than to take the Eagles lightly. Philadelphia has had a mixed start, as has become customary for them. The Eagles have won only 24 games in the three seasons and change since the Super Bowl triumph and are in danger of seeing the Dallas Cowboys disappear off into the distance in the NFC East. Either way, Brady is expecting the typical hostile reception he always receives from Eagles fans, an experience he claims to enjoy. “They do a good job, they love their team,” Brady told reporters. “I’ve played there quite a few times over the years, and it’s a great football stadium. It’ll be a fun game Thursday night.” Here’s what others have said … Adam Herman, NBC Sports: “Oh, Tom. Even at your peak, after besting your ex-coach in his house, you’re still thinking about the Eagles. Bless your heart.” Colin Cowherd, The Herd: “He’s becoming the Ninth Wonder of the World. Is he better than he was seven years ago?” |
