TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers fans are still holding out hope Tom Brady isn’t going to retire even though many national media outlets are reporting it.
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Maurice Wasserman grew up a Bears fan, but when Tom Brady came to Tampa, he said he had to buy Bucs season tickets.
“I was new to the area and decided nothing would be more special than to live in the moment to watch Tom Brady. The greatest of all time,” said Wasserman.
Wasserman said that whatever happens his young son Oliver will always be able to say he saw Tom Brady play in person.
“I grew up in Chicago watching Michael Jordan play hundreds of times, and being here in Tampa the time Tom Brady was able to play was very special and very similar,” said Wasserman.
Before Brady joined the team, the Buccaneers ranked near the bottom of the NFL in average attendance. But this past season, the stadium was sold out with season tickets.
“I’ve been a season ticket holder for so long. I’ve been through the good times and the bad," said Shawn Conner, who leads the Tampa Bay Leatherheads tailgate group.
Conner goes to both games home and away, and he said with Brady, the Buccaneers became a very tough ticket — he hopes it stays that way.
“I don’t think this is an easy decision one way or the other on him. I definitely think it would be nice to have him for the big picture.”
The Bucs told season ticket holders their first deadline to renew is February 11, but no one knows when Brady will let everyone in on his future.
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“I mean if he retires it’s going to put me in a real tough spot if I really want to renew. I’m really going to have a second question if I’m going to do it or not,” said Wasserman .
As of the time of publication, we have yet to hear a final word from Brady or the Buccaneers.
