Even without Tom Brady, Bucs coach Todd Bowles believes in his team’s success. The reasons he gives also have to do with the quarterback legend.

For a second time, Tom Brady will not announce his retirement.

By now, even the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have realised that. But the club from Florida is far from moping about it.

Rather, head coach Todd Bowles sees the positive things that are connected with the final departure of the quarterback legend – or rather: could be connected.

You can’t replace a player of his class, Bowles noted on the sidelines of the annual NFL owners meeting in Arizona.

Bucs coach Bowles on Brady: “You lose an aura “

“You lose an aura. You lose the expectation of being one of the greats. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not one of the greats anymore. You just have to practice it more as a team now,” the 59-year-old told “NFL Network.”

Even under Brady, with whom the Bucs won the Super Bowl in 2021, they managed as a team, Bowles said. “But he was such a great player that everybody focused on him. “

Without him, everything else that distinguished the Bucs is no longer there. At least, that’s how Bowls imagines public opinion.

It’s a narrative he and his team now want to counter. “We’re still missing one or two pieces of the puzzle. But we also have a lot of good players in our team already,” Bowles pointed out.

Trask challenges Mayfield at quarterback position

The Bucs hope to have already closed one of their biggest construction sites, the quarterback position, with the signing of Baker Mayfield.

However, the 27-year-old, who suited up for the Carolina Panthers and L.A. Rams in 2022, will have to compete with Kyle Task for the Buccaneers’ starting quarterback role.

The former second-round pick has now spent two years learning behind Brady and is expected to give his more notable rival a run for his money for the starting position.