This will likely be the Steelers last chance to beat Tom Brady

Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback who ever played.

You can agree or disagree, but it’s correct when you factor in Super Bowls and yards.

Brady is a giant among all-time great NFL quarterbacks. He’s almost mythical at this point. And when it comes to his battles against the Steelers during his 23-year NFL career, has there ever been a bigger villain and boogeyman for that very proud football franchise that resides on the North Side of Pittsburgh?

Brady is 12-3 all-time against the Steelers. He’s never lost to them at home. He’s never lost to Pittsburgh in the playoffs.

All of Brady’s success against the Steelers came when he was a member of the Patriots, obviously. He probably stood in the way of Pittsburgh winning another Super Bowl or two while also capturing six Lombardis for New England’s trophy case.

Brady is closing out his career with Tampa Bay where he’s already won a record seventh Super Bowl ring (2020). After failing to bring the Buccaneers their third—and him his eighth—in 2021, he briefly contemplated retirement before changing his mind and deciding to play at least one more season in 2022.

He now finds himself in Pittsburgh for perhaps the last time, as the Buccaneers take on the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Tampa Bay is favored by 10 points to win this game, and with the Steelers' defense so pedestrian and missing all but one starter in the secondary, it might be an easy bet to take the Buccaneers to cover handily.

At 1-4, the Steelers are now a laughingstock, a franchise whose competence is being questioned at every level, starting with the owner.

There’s a very real possibility that 2022 could be the Steelers’ first losing season since 2003. There’s talk of mass firings and even threats of boycotting Acrisure Stadium if changes aren’t made.

The confidence of both the players and the fans hasn’t felt this low in decades.

Yes, the Steelers do have a rookie quarterback in Kenny Pickett, and, yes, there is a growing sentiment that he could possibly be the savior of the future.

But what about now? Is there any hope for now?

There sure doesn’t seem like it.

Maybe the Steelers can see a bit of their future this Sunday with an upset against the Buccaneers. Tall order? Yes, but wouldn’t that be a sweet deal, especially with Brady likely to finally retire after 2022? Wouldn’t it feel pretty sweet to show up that old dinosaur and show him the future in your young stallion of a quarterback?

It would make Brady mad, too. That’s the beauty of it. Sure, he’s got all the money in the world. Sure, he has all the awards and Super Bowls, but he still cares enough to break tablets when things aren’t going his way and kick defenders who dare try to sack him.

Absurd calls still go his way, as evidenced by the almost-comical “roughing” the passer penalty last week against a Falcons defender who sacked him in much the same manner that one helps an elderly person cross the street.

Pickett, 24, was a toddler when Brady, 45, made his professional debut. It seems almost farcical that these two will be playing opposite one another in an NFL game on Sunday.

It seems doubtful that Pittsburgh’s depleted defense can do anything to Brady to make him forget that he owns the Steelers, but maybe Pickett can finally have his coming-out party and show the old-timer that he actually owns the future.

It certainly would be nice if the Steelers defeated Tom Brady on his way out of the league and exorcised some of their past demons with the help of their future.