Plenty of people around the football world aren't at all convinced that Tom Brady is done playing football in the NFL.
This reportedly includes folks who spent time with Brady in the organization he called home for the first 20 years of his storied career.
NFL Network's Michael Giardi recently revealed how Brady's retirement announcement and follow-up remarks were received by people who became close to the legendary quarterback in New England.
"I've talked to a couple of people who were with Brady in Foxboro, know him very well," Giardi said. "They said, 'I don't believe for a second that he's done.' I think the way things got handled a couple Saturdays ago with the retirement sort of leaked out early, he shamed the media, then the next day he retires. And it was very clunkily done that a lot of people feel like he was almost forced in that direction and doesn't want to go in that direction just yet."
Giardi also explained why Brady might be operating with an open-minded approach toward his football future.
"I think the other thing -- in talking to some people who know him very well -- the situation in Tampa," Giardi said. "They ran it back last year, they didn't win a title. Now, there's some cap concerns. Can they bring everybody back? It doesn't seem that's gonna be the case. Maybe, just maybe, Tom Brady is looking elsewhere and saying, 'I can't win a title here, but maybe I can win one elsewhere.' I think that's something to follow here during the course of the offseason because, again, he did not close the door on playing football."
Two of Brady's closest former teammates recently sang tunes similar to Giardi. Rob Gronkowski believes the seven-time Super Bowl champion will return in a few years, while Julian Edelman wouldn't be surprised if TB12 eventually straps the pads back on.
There's usually smoke where there's fire in the NFL. As such, we probably should view a Brady comeback as a distinct possibility until the 44-year-old files his retirement paperwork.
