Tom Brady 'Picks All the Plays Now' for Buccaneers, Says HC Bruce Arians

Amid swirling rumors that there is tension between Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bruce Arians, there may be more trust between the pair than ever.

NFL Network's Michael Silver reported that Arians actually looks to his quarterback to design the offense and call the plays for the 7-5 Bucs.

"We call what he picks," Arians told Silver. "We just have to get better. He's getting more comfortable every week. We're getting close."

Silver noted that the head coach was "upbeat" in his comments and Arians "seems to be firmly in Tom Brady's corner."

The full confidence in the six-time Super Bowl champion is a stark departure from what Arians told reporters last week, when he publicly aired his grievances about the quarterback following the team's loss to the Los Angeles Rams:

"We've got guys open, we've just missed them. And there are times when coverage dictates you go to that guy. I think we can do a better job of utilizing the deep ball in our game plan more of or less of. Each and every week is a little different. But when they're there, we need to hit them. We can't have them going off our fingertips, and we can't overthrow them."

Brady addressed the rumors in a brief press conference after Sunday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, saying that it was just external noise."

On Sunday, Brady threw for 345 yards on 27-of-41 passing with three touchdowns and two interceptions, though the Buccaneers fell victim to a slow start, down 17-0 at the end of the first quarter. A week prior, he had gone 26-of-48 for 216 yards with two touchdowns and as many picks against the Rams.

As Tampa Bay chases the New Orleans Saints for the NFC South crown, Brady will have another chance to look over his playbook as the Bucs enter a Week 13 bye before taking on the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 13.