Tom Brady went into the 2022 offseason uncertain about his future in football. After retiring on Feb. 1 he then unretired in March and committed to another year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. One offseason later, the seven-time Super Bowl champion is evaluating his options once more.
After achieving his goal of playing in his age-45 season, becoming one of the oldest starting quarterbacks in NFL history, the future Hall of Famer is spending the next few weeks deciding if he wants to keep playing football.
- Tom Brady stats 2022: 90.7 QB rating, 66.8% completion rate, 25-9 TD-INT, 6.4 ypa
Brady is coming off one of the worst performances in his career, posting his first losing record (8-9) as a starting quarterback with his lowest QBR (52.6) in 23 seasons. Facing an opportunity to be one of the top NFL free agents in 2023, the 15-time Pro Bowl selection is taking time to contemplate his options before announcing his decision.
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Already signed to a lucrative deal with FOX Sports that would make him the highest-paid broadcaster in sports, there are plenty of opportunities available for Brady away from the field. However, it seems increasingly likely that he will return for his 24th NFL season.
Appearing on The Rich Eisen Show with host Suzy Shuster, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said that sources close to Brady believe he is more open-minded to playing again in 2023 than his initial mindset last offseason.
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“People close to Brady for the last two months have said all his options are on the table. He is showing that he seems more open to coming back and playing another year than he did certainly a year ago at this time when he retired and unretired.”
Tom Pelissero on Tom Brady’s mindset entering the offseason (H/T Bleacher Report)
Considering Brady first retired to be with his family in 2022, later returning and going through a challenging divorce, it’s no surprise that he is more receptive to playing again.
Viewed as one of the most competitive players in NFL history, bringing an intense work ethic and mentality to both games at practices, walking away after what happened last year seems unlikely. Instead, Brady might want to end his career on far better terms.
- Tom Brady career stats: 89,214 passing yards, 649 passing touchdowns, 97.2 QB rating
If he decides to play in 2023, there will be no shortage of suitors. The Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans and New York Jets are among the teams already being linked to Brady in free agency. Tampa Bay is also focused on re-signing him, firing offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich was its first step toward recruiting Brady to stay.
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While an official announcement likely won’t come until late February, a majority of insiders believe Brady will return for the 2023 NFL season.