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Byron Leftwich turned 41 last month. He hasn’t played in the NFL since 2012.
Leftwich has been the Buccaneers’ offensive coordinator for the past two seasons.
His 2020 quarterback, Tom Brady, will turn 44 in August, set a team record with 40 touchdown passes, just won his seventh Super Bowl, and plans to return for a 22nd season in 2021.
Count Leftwich to those who are astonished.
You just didn’t think it was possible, did you? ”Leftwich replied when asked on the Huddle & Flow Podcast by Jim Trotter and Steve Wyche of NFL Media if he thought Brady could succeed the way he did. Like, you looked at the tape of his and I knew his arm was still alive, you know, you could tell me he still has a living arm. So you knew his arm was alive. But then you come around it and you think: look at that ball. It’s the type of ball he throws, it’s a friendly ball. It’s a piercing ball. So it was unique to see that he could do all these things anyway. Hell, I just turned 41 and I tried. And to see him, I’m like, man, just look how he’s able to still do things that the young boys could do. “
Brady will undergo surgery on his left knee, which didn’t seem to bother him starting all 20 games this season.
“He started this process 20 years ago, you know, 18, 17 years ago, and it’s a testament to hard work, understanding, having an end goal,” Leftwich said. “And you see all the sacrifices he had to make along the way in order to play that long. So, I mean, it’s great to see him do it, but it’s great to see how much dedication it takes to make sure you can play for that long. “