There's been the injuries, but there's also been the issues with coaches and teammates.

Randy, I know you actually talked to Michael Thomas this week.

What do you come away from that conversation thinking?

Well, first of all, I want to thank my colleague Adam Schefter for connecting us together, but I wanted to talkto Michael Thomas because I've been in his shoes before.

He called me back, and the one thing he did tell me Rex, how embarrassed he waas that this situation happened.

He said that he had a setback and he just talking about his passion, just got in the way of getting in a fight with one his teammate and and he's embarrassed about the situation.

I said, Well, Mike, well, when are you going to come back?

He said he didn't know, luckily, just hearing about more talking about him coming back tonight where he could put everything behind him, but being able to be in his shoes before Sam, I wanted to reach out to him because I know what he means to this organization.

I know the records that he was able to break with Drew Brees and that we always say this.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

So I look for a guy like a guy like Michael Thomas tonight.

He's been missed by his team since Week one, and I know the feeling is mutual.

What advice did you give him?

I think my mom was just be able to ignore the noise, and I told him that a guy like Sean Payton, there's 32 coaches in the National Football League and I mean this whole heartedly.

I said, Sean Payton is one of the good guys of this National Football League and I really mean that.

I mean, there's some great coaches out there, but when you look at where Sean Payton has traveled in the success he's had, I know I know for a fact that he's on Michael Thomas inside.

Michael Thomas needs to return the favor.

Yeah, it seems like it's one of those things where at the in the moment it feels frustrating and heavy and big.

But you look back years later and you're like, Why did I get so worked up about that?

Let's flip it to the other side, though, and talk about Antonio Brown appearing today for the Buccaneers.

At least that's what we expect.

Matt, When you think about what he actually brings to a team offensively, what difference do you think it will make for them today?

Well, I think he's gonna bring some drama number one, but if we put that aside for a second, he's so explosive.

I mean, the guy hasn't played in a while, and I don't think it matters.

And I think the number one thing that I see with this team is that Tom Brady wants to throw to him and getting that trust of that quarterback go back to win.

He showed up in New England for that one game down in Miami.

What did Tom do with the football?

He chose to feed a baby.

He chose to make sure everyone saw Hey, no, listen, I could make this work.

I'm going to, you know, I'm going to spread the ball around when I need to, but I'm going to keep this guy happy.

He can help us reach our goals, and it's gonna be crowded, so it's going to be a complicated job for the quarterback.

But if anybody could do it, I think that the Bucks believe and I probably believed to, that Tom Brady would be the guy to keep everybody happy.

This is this has gotta be a positional group buy in because I don't know.

I know Randi, your receiver, these receivers, they get personal about those those attempts.

I mean, where's my share?

Where do I get the ball that's there?

Receivers are emotional people, okay?

Because you are so dependent on someone delivering you the ball.

So what's my how many targets?

So I get how many balls dough I get.

You're right.

Tom is gonna feed Antonio Brown because Tom knows the time of year two week nine.

Thanksgiving's coming up.

He wants this offense to be seamless.

And to do that, you gotta get a B going.

You got to get him feeling the process.

I mean, their friends, they have a great relationship, and that's something that's going to suppress the drama a little bit.

But still, the whole positional group has to buy it.

I think the best thing I heard, I think Teddy, maybe you said it, Randy, you might have said it is well, but all these all these receivers for Tampa.

They were not practicing.

They were hurt him a little sore here.

I'm a little sore.

They're all of a sudden.

A be signs.

Nobody's on the injury report.

Everybody's healthy.

Godwin still there a little bit, but they seem like it's pushing you like, Are you hurt?

Are you injured?

And do you know the difference?

And that's the impact of a guy like Antonio Brown, regardless of what he's been through over the last couple of months.

But we're going to talk about the guy Antonio Brown that's coming to the Tampa Bay Bucks to play Sunday Night Football.

You're talking about Tom Brady Brady being able to get him the ball one time that they play one game in New England and you hear me talk about this time in and time out about a dominant wide receiver being in a three by one formation, three receivers on one side, the single receiver being the dominant wide receiver on the other side Tonight, maybe 15 to 25 snap for Antonio Brown.

Want to see where his game shape is, and we know Tom Brady wants to get him that ball, regardless of what they've been doing on the New Orleans Saints.

They had.

They had things figured out for Tom Brady this first game, but this game having all of his weapons, I look for three by one a b backside.

Look for that formation record.

Give me a quick in terms of targets like I'm a receiver coming back.

You received to a team like Antonio Brown.

How Maney targets would.

You need to feel like you're getting a part of this offense within a game like this.

This is my 1st 10 8.

Know if this is my first game coming back, I'm happy to be here Sunday night football.

You give me 5 to 6 targets and let me deal with catching the ball.

I think he'll be cool with that.

Okay, I'm sure they'll be cool with that.

But I'm gonna say this.

I'm looking at it way different.

Last time they had a great Mike Evans and and God when they got smoked.

Week one.

By the way, this is the best receiver on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

It's there's no bigger game for the entire season.

Then this one right here with Tampa Bay.

The last time Antonio Brown went against this bonded Saints defense, he put up only 185 yards receiving two touchdowns in 14 catches.

Yeah, I think everybody is out of their mind.

If you don't think this dude is gonna go off today, I think he is.

I don't care.

He hadn't played in all that.

I get it.

But you know, Randy shape.

I know, but we're gonna find out, and I saw E.

I mean, I'm just telling you, this is there's no bigger game on the schedule.

So and and the benefactor?

Look, Mike Evans is gonna benefit from Antonio.

So it's got all these guys are and so to me.

Oh, my God.

And Bruce Arians knows this cat.

So does Tom Brady.

I think he's gonna be a difference maker today.

It seems like a new problem for Tom Brady.

And he's not used to having so many big playmakers that you gotta figure out who to get Randy Moss West.

Well, in that been a very it's been a very long time.

But when you look at what a B did with Tom Brady last year in that one game, four catches, only four catches in his first game back, but a touchdown.

And that's what they're looking for today.

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