Arians: Brady left Patriots 'to try a different way'

Tom Brady was the poster boy for the Patriot Way during his 20-year stint in New England. But the star quarterback appeared to enjoy his newfound freedom with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers en route to his seventh career Super Bowl title.

Bucs head coach Bruce Arians believes Brady - who shocked the football world last offseason by leaving New England for Tampa Bay as a free agent - was motivated to prove he could still be as successful with a new approach.

"I think his competitive spirit is so strong that he wanted to do it," Arians said on Showtime's "Inside the NFL." "He wanted to show people. I've never said anything bad about Bill Belichick; I know everybody tries to say I do. His record speaks for itself. He is probably the greatest one ever. But I think (Brady) wanted to try a different way."

Arians previously said he allowed Brady "to be himself" and get involved in coaching, unlike his time with the Patriots.

While the Bucs flourished with the future Hall of Famer under center, the Patriots struggled to their worst finish since 2000. Belichick's team ended the year 7-9, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008 when Brady was lost early in the season with a torn ACL. New England's 11-year run atop the AFC East came to an end, with the Buffalo Bills earning the division crown.

Brady was rejuvenated after a relatively poor final campaign with the Patriots. He threw the second-most touchdowns of his career with 40 and racked up 4,633 yards, both unprecedented numbers for a 43-year-old quarterback.

His competitive edge is seemingly as strong as ever. He said prior to the win over Kansas City that he will "definitively consider" playing beyond his long-stated goal of age 43. The signal-caller is signed for one more season in Tampa Bay.

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