TAMPA, Fla. — Now that the signing of six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is official, Bay area Bucs fans are celebrating, and their expectations for next season are very high.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger Tom Brady fan in Tampa bay than Darin Doucette. This native New Englander and professional barber has followed the Patriots for years and saw Brady turn around a failing franchise.

“He gave me 20 great years as a Patriots fan," said Doucette. "I had 20 or so horrible years in the beginning and 20 excellent so overall I'm completely satisfied."

Today's move came as no surprise to Doucette. Several months ago, he predicted Brady would end up here.  It's a move that for him makes perfect sense.

“I think it's a good way for Brady to kind of live on his legacy and it's a good chance for him to prove that he's not a systems quarterback ,” he said.

Judging from the emails coming into the Spectrum Bay News 9 newsroom about the Brady signing, Doucette is not alone in that belief.

One fan wrote "I'm happy I'll get to watch Brady and his talent more closely. I will certainly be rooting for Brady and the Bucs from now on as well."

Another fan emailed “Tom Brady fan forever. I'm a Buccaneer Tom Brady fan, I predict a Super Bowl this year."

At Smack Apparel, Pro Brady t-shirts are already in production.

 

 

Owner Wayne Curtiss is expecting Brady to deliver.

"I think he'll do well,” said Curtiss. “I'm anticipating [the Bucs] getting into the playoffs."

Doucette believes the team will be more cohesive now that Brady is the face of the franchise.

"Inside the locker room and outside the locker room, he's a leader,” said Doucette. “He takes people that are regular people and turns them into superstars. I love it that he's here. "​