Tom Brady has expressed a desire to continue playing in the NFL for at least a few more years, but at age 41, it’s anyone’s guess just how long he’ll actually keep going.
David Ortiz has some advice: keep playing.
The New England Patriots quarterback saw a slight dip in his performance this season, but nonetheless finds himself in his eighth straight AFC Championship Game on Sunday, with a trip to the Patriots’ third straight Super Bowl on the line.
Of course, Ortiz had a pretty lengthy run of his own, playing his final season in Major League Baseball in 2016 at the age of 40. But in his final season of play with the Boston Red Sox, it was clear he was in some pain and really gutting things out.
But it’s that lack of pain that makes Ortiz think Brady should keep going. During an appearance on WEEI with Greg Dickerson and Lou Merloni, Ortiz revealed what his advice to Brady would be if the quarterback asked about retirement.
“He’s never asked me that question,” Ortiz said, “but if he did I would be like, ‘Shut the hell up. You have many years to go still.’
“Let’s keep one thing in mind,” Ortiz added. “This guy takes care of himself better than anybody I have ever seen. The way this guy eats, they way he gets prepared, they way he physically takes care of himself.”
For now, Brady remains one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL. And given he’s shown little sign of slowing down, we’re pretty sure he’d agree with Ortiz’s assessment that he should keep going.
