Tom Brady will enter his 20th NFL season in unfamiliar territory.
Brady currently is in line to play in a contract year for the first time in his lengthy career. The star quarterback and the New England Patriots always have worked out extensions well before a contract’s expiration, but a new deal for the 41-year-old reportedly is not imminent.
With this in mind, speculation over whether the 2019 season could be Brady’s last has begun to arise. Despite the six-time Super Bowl champion previously expressing a desire to play into his mid-40s, former NFL fullback Michael Robinson still thinks there’s a chance the upcoming campaign could be Brady’s swan song.
“Could is the key word. This could be his last season, so I’m gonna say yes,” Robinson said Wednesday on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football.” “What I saw on film last year from Tom Brady was — he started seeing some ghosts in the pocket for the first time I’ve seen in a while, in a long time that Tom Brady was getting a little skittish in the pocket. His deep-ball accuracy was just a little off and look, I’m comparing him to himself. Like, the G.O.A.T., the best possible. But I do think this could be (his last season), especially without Rob Gronkowski, without some of the weapons he’s accustomed to having. If he can win the Super Bowl this year, I can see Tom Brady riding out in the sunset and just calling it quits.”
While questioning Brady has become a fool’s errand, playing beyond this season probably shouldn’t be viewed as a guarantee. The future Hall of Famer, who turns 42 next Saturday, only can take so much on his body before enough is enough. If 2019 proves to be a particularly physical year for Brady, who’s to say he won’t call it a career?
But that’s a story for down the road. For now, all of Brady’s focus will be centered on a successful title defense, with preparations beginning Thursday when New England opens training camp at Gillette Stadium.
