While unlikely, there’s at least a chance the 2019 NFL season will be Tom Brady’s last.
The upcoming campaign will be the 42-year-old’s 20th in the league after all, and he’s essentially on a one-year deal with the New England Patriots. The Patriots certainly could work out a new deal with Brady next year, but if this season is particularly demanding — both physically and mentally — he just might decide to call it quits.
But that’s a decision for far down the line. In fact, James Harrison believes the idea of retirement isn’t even on Brady’s radar.
“No, I don’t think Tom can go into the season thinking this is his last year. That’s not how he operates,” Harrison recently said on FS1’s “The Herd.” “His mindset is the next Super Bowl. He’s not going in there saying, ‘Oh, this is my last season.’ If he goes in there saying that, he’s conceding that everything is done. I don’t know if you can have a drive that he has and come into a season saying, ‘You know what? This is my last one.’ Now, if at the end of the year he sits back and he makes a decision that this is the last year, then that will be the last year. But going into the season, as far as he’s concerned, I think he doesn’t see an end in sight right now. ‘I’m going in, I’m playing this year out.’ He’s trying to get the next Super Bowl.”
There’s really no reason to believe the 2019 season will be Brady’s swan song either. The decorated signal-caller hasn’t shown any stark signs of decline, and we obviously never have to worry about the Patriots QB staying in peak game shape. Brady has expressed a desire to play into his mid-40s, and we probably shouldn’t bet against him achieving this goal.
TB12’s 20th campaign will begin in grand fashion, as he and his Patriots teammates will watch the sixth Super Bowl championship banner be raised at Gillette Stadium on Sep. 8 before New England battles the Pittsburgh Steelers.
