It may have been just a couple of weeks since Tom Brady brought an end to his 22-year association with the NFL, but some reports suggest that the former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers star is considering an instant return to the game.
Many of his former teammates believe that the 44-year-old won’t be able to resist a return to the game, and some even believe he can happily take a year or two off and still be physically fit enough to compete.
The impact Brady made during his brief spell at Tampa Bay was such that one wonders quite where the Raymond James side will go in terms of the betting odds on the Sidelines website for the coming season. After all, we are talking about a team that hadn’t won a Super Bowl in 18 years and then, when led by the star quarterback, brought back an NFL title in his first season.
Brady’s former Patriots colleague Brandon Bolden has already stated that he believes that the seven-time Super Bowl winner could even return to action before the next season starts, commenting;
“I wouldn’t be surprised if, come July, he’s trying to get into someone’s camp.” before adding;
“I was — I don’t wanna say bummed out — when he retired, but I was like, ‘Dang,’ because I wanted to see how far he could set the bar,”
“(But) I’d probably put the percentage of a comeback above 50 because you can just never rule out Tom Brady.”
Now Rob Gronkowski, who followed Brady to Tampa Bay having played with him at New England, has added further fuel to that speculation;
“The guy can play at any age,”
“If he’s 50 years old, he can still come back. I think he’s going to come back but in a couple of years. The guy’s a beast. He can play anytime.”
Whether Brady could still cut it in the NFL at 50 is another matter, but a possible return in the coming year or two, that may be something that he considers once he works out what he may look to do with his life next.
Brady remains under contract with Tampa Bay so any immediate return would be to play for them.
Clearly, having spent more than two decades playing NFL at the highest level, there will be a certain amount of readjusting that occurs in the coming weeks and months, and maybe he’ll once again feel the urge to compete, and there will be no shortage of takers if he were to put himself out there.
“I’m just gonna take things as they come,” Brady told Jim Gray on the podcast. “I think that’s the best way to put it, and … you never say never. At the same time, I know that … I feel very good about my decision. I don’t know how I’ll feel six months from now … It most likely won’t (change).” Brady said immediately after announcing his decision to retire.
Remember, Brady finished the regular season with the most passing yards and touchdowns; not bad for a player of his advancing years, so clearly, he could still do a very good job out there.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2022.
