Tom Brady is widely known as one of the greatest athletes of all time and perhaps the best player in NFL history.
He's set the bar pretty high when it comes to the standard for greatness, winning seven Super Bowl rings and breaking all kinds of records throughout his two decades in the league.
Nonetheless, even a guy like Brady is human, and his not-so-great side has popped up every now and then after tough losses. That's just the competitive mindset he's lived by.
Not so long ago, Brady drew plenty of criticism for not shaking Nick Foles' hand after losing to him in Super Bowl II.
And even though the years have gone by, people still want to make a big fuzz out of it.
That's why, now that he's set to face the same team that beat him that time, Brady wanted to set the record straight once and for all, claiming he holds no grudges towards Foles:
“No, I’m not,” Brady told the media. “I’ve shaken Nick’s hand plenty of times, though. I have a lot of respect for Nick, and I try to be a good sport as best I can. I know it doesn’t always look like that, because sometimes I get a little pissed out there, but for the most part I try to be a good sport.”
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But that wasn't the only time Brady snubbed Foles.
He also left the field without shaking his hand after losing to the Chicago Bears when he appeared to forget the downs. Even so, he claims it's nothing personal:
“I didn’t even think about that,” Brady told NBC Sports Boston back then. “I think Nick Foles is a hell of a player and a Super Bowl champ. I don’t know one reason or another why I wouldn’t do that. Sometimes I run off the field, sometimes I haven’t. Sometimes if I have a personal relationship like I have with [Saints quarterback] Drew [Brees] and Justin and Aaron over the years — I don’t know, I don’t think it’s anything in particular other than I have great admiration for Nick and I think he’s a hell of a player. [The Bears] are off to a great start.”
Foles, however, doesn't seem to be too worried about the situation and doesn't feel like Brady has anything against him, even though he's been one of his few kryptonite throughout the years:
“I’m sure that someday, Tom and I will have a great conversation about it and probably just laugh at it,” Foles told 670 The Score. “There’s obviously history there from a big game we both played in once, and then Thursday night. It is what it is. I think he’s a tremendous player. Someday, we’ll have a good conversation.”
Getting past the Philadelphia Eagles will be tougher than most people realize. They have a tough defense and a great running game, and the Buccaneers are heavily undermanned on both sides of the field.
Fortunately for them and Brady, Foles won't be the one lining up behind center this time, but Jalen Hurts is no pushover either.
The Bucs have the makings of a Super Bowl champion and are well-coached and experienced, but they'll first need to think of making it to the Divisional Round.
