Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Brady Wants to Play in Season Finale

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers clinched the NFC South with a 30-24 win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 17, guaranteeing them the number four seed regardless of how the rest of the season plays out. Typically, that would mean the team would rest their starters in Week 18. But their star quarterback Tom Brady may have other ideas.

“We’re football players, it’s football season so we play football,” Tom Brady says. Would seem he plans to play at Atlanta Sunday. Todd Bowles will have he final say. Rest vs Rust? Bigger question is can you torpedo chance to win in playoffs with an injury for a meaningless game pic.twitter.com/nBwh33dLx8
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 2, 2023

Brady had probably his best game of the season on Sunday, throwing for 432 yards with four total touchdowns and zero turnovers. It would make sense to try and preserve that momentum in what has been a frustrating season, but the injury risks every single NFL game presents merit consideration too.

Brady personally witnessed one of the all-time season finale disasters firsthand. In a relatively meaningless Week 17 contest against the Houston Texans in the 2009 season, the New England Patriots lost their leading receiver Wes Welker to a torn ACL on a non-contact injury. They were promptly blown out 33-14 against the Baltimore Ravens in arguably the worst playoff defeat in Brady's career.

Brady may have another factor motivating him to take the field on Sunday: the Bucs risk falling to 8-9 with a loss to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 18, which would land Brady the first losing season of his stellar career. It may not mean much to many, and it may only really happen because of a technicality, but it probably won't sit right with the GOAT.