Tom Brady sure doesn’t sound like someone who’s ready to stop playing.
The 44-year-old legendary quarterback officially hung up his cleats last Tuesday, retiring from the NFL after 22 incredible seasons. Concerns about health and family reportedly factored into Brady’s decision, as did the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ looming roster turnover.
But is Brady, who didn’t even use the word “retire” in his own retirement announcement, really finished? He seemingly left the door open for a potential return during Monday night’s episode of his “Let’s Go!” podcast.
“I’m just gonna take things as they come,” Brady, a mere six days after retiring, told co-host Jim Gray, as transcribed by WEEI’s Ryan Hannable. “I think that’s the best way to put it and I don’t think anything, you know, you never say never. At the same time I know that I’m very, I feel very good about my decision.”
Brady added: “It’s certainly not that I can’t play or continue to play, but I think there’s an important choice for me to make, and I think the choice is, everything certainly comes at a cost, and the cost is what am I missing out on other aspects of my life?”
If nothing else, Brady’s comments paint the picture of a player who knows he still has plenty left in the tank. Whether the longtime New England Patriot eventually gets that itch, and in turn scratches it, remains to be seen.
Brady retired while under contract with the Bucs, who would have to agree to trade him in the event that he returns with the intention of playing somewhere else. The future Hall of Famer will turn 45 years old in August.
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