After a tough loss to the Rams, Ted Johnson, Chris Gasper, and Mike Felger discuss whether or not Tom Brady will return in 2022. What will the Buccaneers need to give him to get him to come back?
Don't expect Tom Brady to make an announcement regarding his NFL future any time soon.
Following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' season-ending loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Brady immediately faced questions about his potential retirement. The 44-year-old told reporters he "hasn't put a lot of thought into it" and is "not thinking about anything past five minutes from now."
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He was asked again about his plans on Monday's episode of the "Let's Go!" podcast with Jim Gray.
"I'll know when I know. It's a day after the season," Brady told Gray. ... "I'll know when the time is right, and there's no rush to make a decision."
The biggest factor in Brady's decision-making will be his family. He opened up about the importance of doing what's best for his wife Gisele Bundchen and his kids.
“It pains her to see me get hit out there," he said. "And she deserves what she needs from me as a husband and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad.
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“I said this a few years ago, it's what relationships are all about. It's not always what I want. It's what we want as a family. I'm gonna spend a lot of time with them and figure out in the future what's next. ...
“Playing football I get so much joy from. I love it. But not playing football, there's a lot of joy in that for me also now, too, with my kids getting older and seeing them develop and grow. So all these things need to be considered and they will be."
That certainly won't stop the retirement rumors from swirling.
Multiple reports state Brady is seriously considering calling it a career after 22 NFL seasons. The seven-time Super Bowl champion has expressed his desire to play at least until age 45, but it's pretty clear at this point he has nothing left to prove.
If Brady does decide to hang 'em up, he won't be following through with his "when I suck, I'll retire" declaration. He's a frontrunner for the 2021 NFL MVP award after leading the league in passing yards (5,316) and tossing the second-most touchdown passes of his career (43).
Brady is under contract with the Bucs for $25 million next season. The team would get back $16 million of Brady's signing bonus if he retires.