Stephen A. Smith has predicted that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will be the NFL team with the biggest decline this upcoming season,
stating that Tom Brady's departure from the 2020 Super Bowl champions will affect the franchise this year.
Speaking on his daily weekday TV show, 'First Take' on ESPN, from the tennis courts of the US Open in the borough of Queens in New York,
the American sports analyst started off a long monologue in which he recalled the Bucs' trying season last year, which was Brady's last before retirement.
'I want to remind everybody that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers went to the playoffs last year with an 8-9 record. 8-9 record,' said the 55-year-old. 'And that was when Tom Brady was throwing the football.'
Smith then offered a reality check to Bucs fans who are hoping to start the post-Brady era on the right foot with a certain new quarterback...
'[The Bucs] now have Baker Mayfield...I mean just stop the presses! I don't know if y'all heard the news...just stop the presses...
I mean are we just supposed to believe that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are entering better times on the horizon because Baker Mayfield is succeeding Tom Brady?' added Smith.
'Are you kidding me? One winning record in five years...one...one winning record in five years...
'[...] Baker Mayfield...not trying to say that he's some scrub... I know he can play... but c'mon y'all... it's a percept of this drop-off...
'Not to mention the fact that they had one of the worst rushing attacks last year in football... why should they be any better this year?
Averaging about 3.4 yards per rush... I'm not sold on them...I'm not sold on them at all...
'And so for me... I love Todd Bowles... I respect him profoundly... elite coordinator, still has some things to prove as a head coach...but when you look at Baker Mayfield succeeding Tom Brady..
.I'm sorry...I think about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and I say ''oh please, you're not going anywhere even as Mike Evans as your all world receiver.'''