Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 21-16 win over the Seattle Seahawks as the NFL International Series made its historic bow in Germany on Sunday.
Brady threw for 258 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help the Buccaneers secure the historic win at Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. Brady threw his first interception in 400 attempts as he spurned the opportunity to make more NFL history as he was just three passes away from setting the record.
The win means Brady has become the first quarterback to win in four different countries after victories in the United Kingdom, Mexico and the United States. It also means the Bucs have an 5-5 record in 2022 and lead the NFC South, while the Seattle Seahawks have dropped to 6-4.
The Allianz Arena hosted the first of at least four games to be hosted in Germany and alternated between Munich and Frankfurt through the 2025 season, with the NFL receiving more than three million ticket requests for the historic contest. The raucous fans were excited to watch their first taste of NFL action on their doorstep - and they didn't have to wait too long for the first score.
Early in the second quarter, Brady - who received an immense reception from the German fans each time his face was shown on the screens around the stadium - found wide receiver Julio Jones on a crossing route for a 31-yard touchdown to give the Bucs a 7-0 lead. It meant the duo combined for the first regular season touchdown on German soil in NFL history.
It was Jones' second touchdown as a Buc, with his first scored two weeks ago against the Baltimore Ravens in his first game back after missing three weeks with a knee injury. His touchdown finally put points on the board for the Buccaneers fter kicker Ryan Succop had earlier missed a 52-yard field goal.
Brady added a second touchdown when he picked out Chris Godwin - who registered 71 yards on six catches in Munich - while Leonard Fournette also rushed in a score to give the Bucs a 21-3 scoreline. Late on, Seattle threatened to overturn an 18-point deficit when quarterback Geno Smith threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to the diving Marquise Goodwin on fourth-and-one to make it 21-16 with four minutes to play.
Linebacker Cody Barton set up a nervous finish for Buccaneers fans on the previous drive by snatching Brady’s first interception in 400 attempts on a pass intended for star receiver Mike Evans. However, plenty of headlines will fixate on the bizarre play-call from Tampa Bay offensive coordinator Byron Letfwich.
While up 14-3 in the third quarter, Fournette took a direct snap at the Seahawks 22-yard line before throwing towards Brady, who slipped as he ran a fade route up the sideline. Rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen collected an easy interception on a moment to forget for the Bucs offence.
At 5-5, the Buccaneers now have a healthy lead atop the NFC South. They head into a much-needed bye week as they aim to put a run of wins together, with the Seahawks also out of action until they face the Las Vegas Raiders on November 27.
