Bruce Arians Admits Tom Brady 'Wasn't Himself' Last NFL Season

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians is admitting to what led to the struggling season the team had this past NFL year.

One of those reasons includes all-star quarterback Tom Brady, who just recently went through a divorce with his ex-wife Gisele Bündchen and just announced his retirement from the NFL.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach recently appeared on The Rich Eisen Show, where he talked about the struggling season the Bucs faced this past year.

He noted the injuries that both Shaq Barrett and Ryan Jensen suffered, but also mentioned a name that many consider the G.O.A.T. -- Tom Brady.

"Tom wasn't himself, you know, with all the things that were going on," Arians said. The Tampa Bay Bucs head coach was more than likely referring to the struggles Brady was facing in his personal life, including his divorce with Gisele Bündchen.

The speculation that the two were in rocky waters began when Tom Brady unexpectedly took an 11-day break from training camp in August due to “personal reasons.”

Brady returned to training camp and played the entire NFL season with the Bucs despite facing struggles off the field. In October 2022, which was during the NFL season while Brady was playing with the Bucs, Brady and Bündchen filed for divorce, both releasing statements to social media.

“In recent days, my wife and I finalized our divorce from one another after 13 years of marriage. We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together. We are blessed with beautiful and wonderful children who will continue to be the center of our world in every way. We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve,” Brady wrote, in part, in an Instagram Story.

Going through a divorce while trying to focus on football can't be easy, Arians admitted, adding, "And I got to give him all the credit in the world for battling through what he went through last year for his teammates. I think the world of him but it wasn't the real Tom Brady out there."

Tom Brady won't return to play for the Bucs next year -- nor will he return to play for any NFL team as he announced his retirement "for good" on February 1 of this year.

“I’ll get to the point right away. I’m retiring. For good,” the 45-year-old said in a video shared to social media. “I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first.”

He continued, “I really thank you guys so much, to every single one of you for supporting me, my family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors, I could go on forever there’s too many.”

After the video, Brady shared several photos to Instagram of his life over the years — some with other NFL players such as retired Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Rothlisburger, retired New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.