TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady has won 35 playoff games in 47 attempts. Both are the most in NFL history. Joe Montana has the second-most playoff wins with 16.
Brady, 45, doesn't need any reminders of how high the stakes are once a team reaches the postseason.
"Everyone knows what we’re playing for. You’re playing for a chance to move on. There’s no 'We were close' or 'It was almost there.' You’re going to have to make the plays at the end," Brady said after Thursday's practice. "It’s tough because there’s good teams and there’s little margin of error. All these teams are well-coached. They’ve got good offenses, good defenses, a lot of good playmakers. They’re the best teams that are playing right now. You gotta play good if you want to advance."
Brady and his teammates said all of the veterans and young players know the sense of urgency, and they realize there are no second chances in the playoffs.
"It’s win, or go home. All those emotions are out there," said safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. "Everybody’s ready to play. It’s going to be a fun, exciting game. Monday night, primetime playoffs. So everybody’s excited."
Winfield, 24, will be playing in his sixth career playoff game on Monday night when the Bucs host the Dallas Cowboys. He's been to the playoffs each season since the Bucs drafted him in 2020. But the second-generation standout isn't taking any trip to the postseason for granted.
"I was talking to my dad. He was saying 'Congratulations!' Like, how hard it is to get to the playoffs, in general," Winfield added. "And I was like, 'Yeah, you’re right. It is tough.' It’s crazy, and it’s hard to get there."
Tom Brady is 7-0 against Dallas in his career. Even though match-up number eight is a Monday Night Football playoff game against the self-proclaimed "America's Team," Brady said all he worries about is his team's performance for the three hours they're on the field.
"Nothing in the past. Nothing about the color jerseys we’re wearing. It’s who’s playing, what we’re doing, how we’re executing, how we’re executing under pressure. That’s what it’s going to come down to," Brady said.
The Bucs and Cowboys kickoff Monday night from Raymond James Stadium at 8:15 on ABC Action News. Before the game kicks off, join ABC Action News Red Zone for a one hour pre-game show!
