In a recent article contained direct quotes from Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, as harvested after the game against the 49ers, Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle included a nonchalant observation regarding Brady’s involvement in the team’s offense.
“On the night before each game, Brady runs a separate meeting with the Bucs’ skill players during which he goes over the gameplan, makes tweaks to assignments and formations and provides a revised blueprint—one which first-year head coach Todd Bowles, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and the rest of the staff are left to discover in real time once the game begins,” Silver wrote.
Brady was asked whether the claim is true, during his normal midweek press conference.
“No,” Brady said. “I have no idea. I mean, anybody can write anything, and say whatever they want. So, no. . . . I’m not gonna respond to every -- next question.”
But this is different. It’s not some slappy with no access and no platform making a hot-take claim. It’s a long-time reporter who has covered the league for years and who spoke directly to Brady.
If a reporter personally interviews the President and then makes an assertion about something the President does, it would be very odd if the President brushes it off by saying, “Anybody can write anything, and say whatever they want.”
This isn’t “anybody.” It’s someone who spoke directly to the person about which the thing was said. It can’t credibly be brushed off as some crazy-ass, click-bait contention, the way Brady tried to do it on Thursday.
Why would Silver think that’s what Brady does, if Brady didn’t tell him? Maybe Brady thought it was off the record. Maybe Brady misspoke. Maybe Silver misunderstood.
Regardless, Silver didn’t pull that contention out of thin air and/or his rear end. So either Silver was absolutely right, or there’s a specific explanation for why Brady believes it is wrong -- other than “anybody can write anything.”
