Tampa Bay Buccaneers GM says Tom Brady's decision to retire 'didn't completely shock us'

TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said the team's ' two years with quarterback Tom Brady, which began as covert free agency pursuit under the code name «Operation Shoeless Joe Jackson» and culminated into Super Bowl an NFC South titles, «an unbelievable fairy-tale story we'll be talking about forever.»

Licht described two phone calls as being on opposite ends of the spectrum: The first one two years ago, when Brady informed him he was coming to Tampa Bay, the GM said the «room was spinning a little bit.» The second, when Brady called him late Monday night to inform him of his decision to retire, was understandably somber.

Brady's decision to retire «didn't completely shock us,» Licht said, and the organization had been preparing for the possibility, even though the news broke Saturday prior to Brady calling them to inform them of his decision. Licht has been in discussion with Brady's agents Don Yee and Steve Dubin to discuss his departure — as Brady is still technically under contract next season — but those conversations have gone well and he said they will «be able to work that out» without issue.

«We're just extremely happy that he chose us,» Licht said Tuesday night. «We have a lot of gratitude toward him for what he's done for this organization and for this fanbase.»

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The Bucs had already begun exploring contingency plans for the quarterback position when the season ended, but now «Plan B» becomes their primary one.

«We'll have to go down every avenue,» Licht said. «It's a little bit of a different