Week 14 marks a historic occasion for both the San Francisco 49ers and the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On one side, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy will become the first QB ever to start an NFL as a “Mr. Irrelevant”. On the other side: Tom Brady, coming home for only the second time in his NFL career to face his childhood team.

Brady was asked about the occasion Thursday, reflecting on his 2016 trip to the Bay Area when Chip Kelly was the coach of the Red & Gold and he was still with the New England Patriots.

“It was a rainy day, it was 2016. Had a lot of friends and family in the crowd. I ran out for pregame warmups and I remember Chip Kelly coming over to me and he was like ‘damn it’s a home game for you,'” Tom Brady said with a big smile to the Tampa Bay media Thursday.

The proclaimed G.O.A.T of football didn’t grow up far from Levi’s Stadium, a mere 25 miles north lies the city of San Mateo. Back then, the Bradys loved to go to 49ers games at Candlestick Park, routinely going to watch Joe Montana or Steve Young with his parents and siblings.

While suspended high up in the nosebleeds may be dreadful for some to take in a game, not for Tom. That’s where his love for the game first blossomed.

“You know I always consider myself a California kid,” Tom explained. “Grew up, obviously, loving Joe Montana and Steve Young and going to 49ers games, that’s where I fell in love with football…I was lucky to grow up in the Bay Area at that time.”

Tom is also glad that his parents don’t have to travel to see hime play for once, still living ins childhood hime after all these years.

“My parents still live on Portola Drive in San Mateo. Same house I grew up in. I was just a lucky kid growing up in the Bay Area. It was a great place to grow up in,” Tom reiterated.

But while his love for the Red & Gold continued into his adult years, the 49ers didn’t feel the same way. Famously passed over until he was selected with the 199th pick in the 2000 NFL draft by the Patriots, Tom used that to his advantage, hoping to get one more over his childhood team.

“I loved the 49ers, I loved them through college, and then when they skipped over me six times I started to hate the 49ers and that’s just the way it went down,” Brady stated with another smile. “Well I’m not a 49ers fan, yeah that’s long gone.”

In the lone game Brady placed against SF in 2016: 24 for 40, 280 yards passing, four touchdowns in a 30-17 win. Only Sunday’s game will tell us if he’s still got that magic against an old friend in the 49ers.

Video: Tom Brady talks about how special this week is, going home to San Francisco to face a 49ers team he grew up cheering for. pic.twitter.com/ROzySavmKr

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) December 8, 2022

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