(via NFL Communications)
(on his offseason conversation with Tom Brady that convinced him to come out of retirement) “It was kind of a series of conversations. It wasn’t anything like, ‘Hey Rob, I want you to come back, come to Tampa with me.’ It was over a little bit of time, a couple of conversations. Then free agency hit and I was sitting there like, he told me he was going to go down to Tampa, or go to another team prior, and I was just sitting there. And then he hit me up like, ‘Would you come down?’ And I was like, ‘I was waiting for you, I was waiting for you to make a move.’ It’s just been over a series of talks, and it’s just an unbelievable story. There are a lot of other conversations that went down, but we’re just going to keep them between us. But overall, just coming down to Tampa Bay, just coming into this organization, this Buccaneers organization, they were an organization ready to win. The players here were ready to win, and to come here and be a small part of it and play my role, was just amazing. Just to come here and have a situation like this, with so many great players and be Super Bowl LV champs, it’s just surreal.”
(on how much of his contributions tonight were schemed up, versus how much the Chiefs defense was giving him) “You never know with this offense, who’s going to get the ball, who’s going to make the plays. Because we have so much talent on this team too, that’s what made this team so special, we have so many superstars on the team. But no one’s head was ever too big during this year. Never on the defensive side and never on the offensive side. Whoever got the ball, got the ball. We knew that we were all going to have to play together and work together in order to win the game, and that’s what we did. That’s what we did all year long. And that’s what was so great about being with this team. There was no one that was selfish on this team. Just overall in the whole organization, there was no one that was selfish here. It just happened to be me this time. To be me making the plays, to have the touchdown passes thrown to me. Overall, you just never knew it was going to be because we have so much talent, we just did a great job spreading the ball around and just played together as a team to win it all. That’s what you’ve got to do.”
(on his journey from his Super Bowl LIII victory two years ago, to now) “I remember after that win, I was so done. Coming off of the field, I was like, I’m just glad it’s over. Just the pain I was in too. It was great to be a champ, but it just felt great to be done. But to take the year off, go through that journey, heal up, get my mind right and see the options out there and see everything play out. And then just come down here to Tampa Bay, come out of retirement. I retired from being retired, which was pretty cool. Just coming down here to this journey, I saw the opportunity. I saw that it was a great opportunity. I love Florida, it was an opportunity to be in great weather. T-shirts, shorts and sandals basically everyday going to work, that’s my style. Just unbelievable. What a journey it’s been, what a story it’s been. What a start it was to the journey, and what a finish to the journey. It was the real deal.”
(on how it feels to win the Super Bowl in his first season with Tampa Bay) “It feels amazing, it feels tremendous. It’s just an unbelievable story. The first time ever, a team going to the Super Bowl in their hometown. Just that story is so surreal. Just so many storylines to this team this year. But I would say the most important storyline is just how everyone worked together, from the defensive side to the offensive side of the ball. Everyone contributed, everyone played their role. It was just amazing. What a year it was playing with these guys. What a year. I can’t say that enough. What a year it was. It was a pleasure. And now it’s time to celebrate with these guys because we deserve it. It was a grind, about 28 weeks straight of football and now we’re going to celebrate because that’s what it’s all about.
(on how great of an accomplishment this is for him and Tom Brady) “It’s hands down one of the greatest accomplishments in sports history. I’m not going to say it’s the greatest, but I’m going to say that it’s up there, for sure. To come down here to Tampa, come to an organization that was ready to win. Come down here to the players, they’re all fantastic players and great guys. Just everyone overall. The story is unbelievable. It definitely ranks up there as one of my greatest accomplishments ever.”
(on how quickly he knew they had a special team beyond Tom Brady, especially the defense) “When Tom first came to Tampa, we had our talks and I obviously looked at the team too. I saw what type of team they had, the type of players. I saw the talent. I was really shocked they didn’t go to the playoffs the year before with what they had. It was just cool to see how much talent there was. How much talent there was on the team and how ready they were to win. It was just great to come down here with Tom and I and be part of it and just win. That’s what it’s all about, just win.”
(on how is going to celebrate and if he is going to remain unretired) “Yeah, I’ll remain unretired. I’m a free agent. It’s the first time in my career I’m a free agent. I signed basically an eight-year contract and played it all out. I signed that when I was 22 years old, and it’s just pretty incredible to play out a contract like that, with a retirement in-between. That’s surreal. But I definitely see myself coming back. Just the guys around here, the players around here, the coaches, the people in the front office, they’re all just great people and I love working with them all year long. I’m obviously going to soak this in and see where I’m at in a couple weeks, but I don’t see why not. I don’t see why I won’t be back.”
(on if this Super Bowl run was more difficult than ones in the past because of the restrictions) “It’s just always difficult to win a Super Bowl. It’s a grind, but let me tell you, that grind pays off. I would say that due to COVID and having no offseason, it definitely makes it more challenging, but it was an even playing field because all teams were in that situation. But I’ll definitely say each win represented it’s own challenges. But I would rate this one up their as on of the biggest challenges to overcome and get to the Super Bowl and win it and be champs baby, that’s what it’s all about. Super Bowl LV champs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Love my teammates, love my coaches, love this organization.”
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