Tom Brady is entering his 20th season with the New England Patriots. Could it be his last?
Brady, who’s set to hit free agency next spring for the first time in his NFL career, was asked to address his future during an interview with Jim Gray on Westwood One Radio’s “Thursday Night Football” pregame show.
“Whatever anybody wants to look forward to, they certainly can,” the 42-year-old quarterback said. “That doesn’t mean that I have to do that. I’m in a very unique situation. To play 20 years in the NFL is a blessing for me, and I think I’m really relishing and enjoying everything that’s happened this season.
“And I don’t think you can ever take it for granted that, ‘Oh, I’ll be able to play as many years as I want.’ I’ve just been so fortunate. I certainly have goals to play beyond this year. But at the same time, it’s a contact sport, and any game could be a player’s last game. So I’m not putting any energy into anything beyond this season. I owe it to my team to give every I can physically, mentally, emotionally to this season, and that’s where 100 percent of my focus will be.”
Brady also offered his take on a question that will follow the Patriots throughout this season: Will star tight end Rob Gronkowski remain retired?
“He’s spoken on that quite a few times,” Brady told Gray. “I think he’s very happy with how things are going in his life, and I think we’re going with the guys that we’ve got. That’s what we’re planning on, and that’s all we can ever do. It’s always his choice, and he’s a young guy, but that’s certainly not any of my thinking at this point.”
Gronkowski said last week he could return to football in the future if he regains the desire to play. The Patriots are set to enter the regular season with Ryan Izzo and Matt LaCosse as their only available tight ends.
