Terry Bradshaw has become the chief Tom Brady antagonist: ‘Tired of soap opera’

First Terry Bradshaw said Tom Brady’s departure from the Patriots must have involved his “ego,” and now he seems even more bothered by the fact that three weeks later, the quarterback’s stunning move is still getting so much attention. “It’s just a lot of things. I’m a little bit tired of all this soap opera …

First Terry Bradshaw said Tom Brady’s departure from the Patriots must have involved his “ego,” and now he seems even more bothered by the fact that three weeks later, the quarterback’s stunning move is still getting so much attention.

“It’s just a lot of things. I’m a little bit tired of all this soap opera going on between him and [Bill] Belichick,” Bradshaw said Thursday on 97.3 The Fan in Pittsburgh. “Look, he left because he wanted to prove something, and he wants to prove to everyone that he can win without Bill Belichick. Between all that, you say all the wonderful things [about Belichick] … but after 20 years, he’s leaving. You gotta be kidding me.”

At a time when the NBA, NHL, MLB and NCAA are on hold because of coronavirus, the NFL, and particularly all things Brady, have largely dominated the sports world. The 42-year-old sent shock waves through the league when he signed with the Buccaneers on a two-year, $50 million contract.

Bradshaw, who played all 14 seasons of his career with the Steelers, said he never wanted to leave Pittsburgh. Of course, he never really had much of a choice as free agency didn’t begin until after he retired. Brady became a free agent for the first time this offseason after 20 years in New England and decided to leave town as reports swirled of dissonance between him and Belichick.

“So now he’s going to Tampa Bay and he’s going to prove to us that he’s whatever he is,” the Hall of Famer said. “He’s already got ‘TB=TB’ and he’s filed for that. It’s like, golly. Geez Louise. Get this over with. Let’s move on.”

Terry Bradshaw with Tom Brady after Super Bowl LI.Getty Images

One thing that Brady has not proved to Bradshaw, at least, is that he is the most talented quarterback of all time.

“I don’t think he’s the greatest quarterback of all time,” Bradshaw said. “It’s hard to say. He may be the best quarterback we’ve had in the last 30 years. Is he better than [Roger] Staubach? No. Is he better than Dan Fouts? No. Dan Marino? No. I’m talking talent-wise when you’re putting all of it together.

“Does he have more Super Bowls than anybody? Yes. Therefore, he’s the best. I absolutely have no problem saying it. If you’ve got the most Super Bowls, you can be in there, but I don’t put anybody as the greatest of all time. … Is he better than Montana? Not in my opinion. Is he better than Drew Brees? Yeah, maybe.

“I’m just not blown away by all of this.”

On Wednesday, Brady told Howard Stern he “could give a s–t about” his legacy and later said he didn’t think he was better than Joe Montana, his boyhood idol. So perhaps he wouldn’t take too much issue with Bradshaw’s GOAT comments.

But Bradshaw hasn’t been shy about second-guessing Brady’s decision to leave the Patriots after winning six Super Bowls there.

“Why in the world does he want to keep on playing at 43 other than to prove to New England he’s more important than Bill Belichick?” Bradshaw told The Athletic in March. “That’s the way I would look at it. Why the hell do you want to go to Tampa? The only thing I can think of is ego gets involved and you decide, ‘I’ll show ’em who’s more important.’

“I don’t know what the hell Tom’s doing.”