Future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady is still contemplating his future, determining whether he will walk away from football for good or return to the NFL in his age-46 season.
After briefly retiring in 2022 and then immediately coming back, Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers fell far short of expectations last season. Between struggles in his personal life and issues with the offense, the seven-time Super Bowl champion had one of the worst years in his professional career.
- Tom Brady career stats: 89,214 passing yards, 649 passing touchdowns, 97.2 QB rating
Related: Why Tom Brady to the San Francisco 49ers makes sense
Brady is now spending significant time evaluating his options, weighing whether or not he wants to play one last NFL season. With many around the league expecting him to come back and teams lining up to pursue him, there is early informed speculation on where he will land.
Asked by The Athletic’s Mike Sando, a top NFL executive said he believes Brady will sign with the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. The move by San Francisco would include trading Trey Lance to the Tennessee Titans.
“I think they will trade Trey Lance to Tennessee and then they will end up with Brady and Brady will play one year for his home team, and they will have Brock Purdy as the backup. That is the chatter. They have the defense already, Brady wants to win one more, and this is right up the 49ers’ alley.”
Anonymous NFL executive on San Francisco 49ers and Tom Brady
The 49ers are now in a difficult situation at quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance has played in just nine games dating back to his final collegiate season in 2020 and Brock Purdy is scheduled to undergo elbow surgery.
Related: San Francisco 49ers have ‘very low’ confidence in Trey Lance
Kyle Shanahan’s offense and San Francisco’s system are perfect for Brady. He would play behind an excellent offensive line in a run-first offense with weapons around him that excel at making plays after the catch. Brady’s pre- and post-snap reads paired with his accuracy and poise are everything Shanahan wants operating his offense.
As for Lance, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the 49ers’ organization has lost faith in him. Once projected to be the face of the franchise after being selected with the No. 3 overall pick, Lance hasn’t developed at the rate the coaching staff hoped even before his season-ending ankle injury.
If Brady decides to return in 2023, the 49ers, Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders will likely be the three favorites to sign him.