Bucs brass referred to this old movie when discussing their quest to land quarterback Tom Brady.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers landed the biggest free agent in franchise history this offseason with the signing of six-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. The future Hall of Famer, who played in nine Super Bowls with the New England Patriots over his 20-year career, became a free agent for the first time in his career, and chose the Buccaneers of all teams.
It may still be hard for some people to believe that Brady left the successful juggernaut in New England for a team that hasn’t made the postseason since 2007. Turns out, the Bucs and their front office felt it might be a pipe dream to get Brady, too, which is why the Bucs’ director of player personnel John Spytek, came up with a code name for the team’s pursuit of the Golden Boy.
In his latest piece examining the Buccaneers and Brady, ESPN’s Ian O’Connor revealed the code name was called “Operation Shoeless Joe Jackson” after the famed Chicago White Sox player who was famously played by Ray Liotta (no relation) in the movie “Field of Dreams.”
“If we build it, he will come,” Spytek would tell his general manager, Jason Licht. “Go the distance.”
Obviously, the team’s effort paid off as Brady is now a Buccaneer.
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