No quarterback in NFL history has had the success on and off the field that Tom Brady enjoyed in his 23-year journey.
The NFL’s record-holder for every passing statistic and Super Bowl record-holder for rings and appearances, Brady has been at the pinnacle of the sport for the last two decades. Last season was the first year that did not have Brady’s mystique attached to the league.
Now, it appears that retirement may not suit the 46-year-old as much as he may have wanted.
Tom Brady Teases Return to NFL
Despite a lengthy 23-year NFL career, Brady may not be completely done playing football.
On the Deep Cut Podcast, Brady recently spoke about a potential return to the game, and what it could look like for what would be one of the oldest players in NFL history.
“I’m not opposed to it. I don’t know if they’ll let me if I become an owner of an NFL team,” Brady stated. “I’ll always be in shape, always be able to throw about. Maybe come in for a little bit like M.J. coming back…
“I don’t know if they’ll let me, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”
“I’m not opposed to it.” 👀
Tom Brady says he’s open to returning to the #NFL. 🐐
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) April 11, 2024
In 23 seasons with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady won seven Super Bowl titles while ending his career as the all-time leader in passing yards, touchdowns, completions, and playoff wins. This wouldn’t be the first time that Brady came out of retirement to resume his playing career, as he unretired to rejoin the Bucs in 2022.
Should Brady try to return to the NFL as a player now, his current negotiations with the Las Vegas Raiders remain an issue. Brady is looking to become a minority owner of the organization, and those talks stalled as of early October 2023.
Should the future Hall of Fame quarterback fully commit to being an owner, the league would essentially force Brady to not go against the mutually agreed Collective Bargaining Agreement that values player contracts for owners and teams.
Still, there’s always the possibility Brady decided to put off being an owner for one more run at an eighth Lombardi Trophy.
Which Teams Could Sign Tom Brady?
While it’s safe to assume that, for many reasons, Brady will not be making a return to the game he dominated, there are plenty of quarterback-needy teams that could be interested in the signal-caller.
Two immediate teams that come to mind that Brady has ties to and would be obvious fits are the Raiders and Patriots. These were the two teams that Brady mentioned during the interview.
“Patriots, it could be the Raiders, you never know,” Brady said.
The Raiders have Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew, while the Patriots have Jacoby Brissett and rookie Drake Maye.
MORE: NFL Quarterback Rankings 2024
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo played with Brady in New England, and he was recently asked about the possibility of a Brady comeback.
“I love Tom. The door is always open if he wants to come in here and coach,” Mayo said with a laugh. “But as far as going on the field, I don’t know.
“But if (Brady) comes in here … you have to come here and compete. And he loves competition. But I doubt he’s going to be walking through these doors any time soon.”
Patriots Head Coach Jerod Mayo joins the show for "Mayo Mondays"! Could Tom Brady make a potential return this year? @WEEI pic.twitter.com/q5p1xNBUrY
— The Greg Hill Show (@TheGregHillShow) April 29, 2024
While Brady returning to the NFL would be shocking, the most likely scenario that would lead to him donning a uniform again would involve a Super Bowl contender’s starting quarterback getting injured.
Brady, who turns 47 years old in August, wouldn’t want to come out of retirement without a chance at winning his eighth Super Bowl ring.
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While a Brady return is still considered a long shot at the very least, his latest remarks should add a new spin to his post-playing career and spur interesting conversations as injuries inevitably befall starting quarterbacks around the league this upcoming season.
