Technically, Tom Brady is retired. However, no one with a pulse actually believes him (and this may even include Brady himself). Almost as soon as the seven-time Super Bowl champion announced that he was finishing his book on his future career in the Hall of Fame, rumors were circulating that Brady might decide to return in the near future. Even Brady acknowledged the possibility just days after announcing that he was telling Jim Gray in his “Let’s Go!” a podcast that “never say never”.
They have not given up on potential murmurs of return since then, as Buccaneers CEO Jason Licht said on Tuesday that Tampa Bay would continue to “leave the light on” for Brady if he decided to return.
Now Brady is adding more fuel to this speculation. The quarterback appeared with Fred Couples on SiriusXM radio, and Couples asked him, “Maybe you can tell us where you’re going?”
Brady gave a labyrinthine answer to this, which seems to leave the door open.
“I’m telling you, I would like to have a clear vision of what the future holds,” Brady said via Rick Stroud from Tampa Bay Times. “I think there are a lot of great things for me and a lot of great opportunities that I know I said right after the football season. I was looking forward to spending time with my family. And I’ve been doing it for the last five weeks. And I know there will be many more than that.
“You know, I like to be busy, that’s for sure. I played a little golf and will actually see my parents tonight, which will be a real highlight for me on their field. I will sleep in the same bed I slept in when I was a child. I don’t think my mother still knows I’m coming home. So it’s just between my father and me, it’s a bit of a surprise. So I’m looking forward to looking forward to some golf over the next few days and some more family time, and then we’ll figure out where to go. ”
The last sentence does not sound exactly like a person who “slammed” the door for a possible return, as described by Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians on Tuesday. However, this could mean that Brady has finished playing for the Buccaneers and wants to play elsewhere if he retires. Earlier this week, Pro Football Talk reported that the Miami Dolphins had planned to fight Brady as a quarterback and possibly as a partial owner. The San Francisco 49ers – Brady’s boys’ team – is also a popular landing site for the peanut gallery.
If Brady decides to return to play for a new team, the Buccaneers will have to volunteer because they have his rights. Regarding Brady’s possible change to a new team, Arians said the Bucs would be reluctant to do so, saying it would be “bad business”.