SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
Tom Brady vs. the 49ers: What happened last time?
When the San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers face off this weekend, it’ll only be the second time quarterback Tom Brady has traveled to the Bay Area to face his childhood team. Hard to believe, I know.
After missing the 2008 clash between the New England Patriots and 49ers due to his ACL tear, Brady’s only time playing the Red & Gold came in 2016. At that time, Chip Kelly was the head coach and Colin Kaepernick was manning the offense for San Francisco. Brady still remembers that rainy day at Levi’s Stadium, and what Kelly told him during pregame warmups.
“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.
#49ers QB1 Brock Purdy on starting vs. Tom Brady: "Definitely awesome, to have Tom Brady come and play on the same field." He also mentioned he's focused on playing the Tampa Bay defense.
— Lindsey Pallares (@lindseylares) December 8, 2022
Growing up down the road in San Mateo, Brady treated the 2016 occasion like a home game, tossing four touchdowns in a rout over the 49ers. He finished the game 24 for 40, 280 yards passing, four touchdowns and no interceptions in a 30-17 win.
On top of that, running back LeGarrette Blount ran rampant on the Red & Gold, finishing the day with 19 carries for 124 yards against San Francisco. The 49ers still put up a fight though, especially Kaepernick, throwing two TDs and 206 yards passing in the effort.
Brady’s current team, the Buccaneers, have only played 25 games against the 49ers, down in the all-time series 18 to 7. Despite playing against his hometown team, the Bucs QB is focused on winning the game, looking to get one more on the team that skipped over him in the 2000 NFL draft.
“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.”
Click here to watch highlights from the 2016 Week 11 game between the Patriots and 49ers.
