This Tom Brady-Dolphins thing probably isn't going anywhere.
ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio on Thursday definitively reported that Brady nearly joined Miami this offseason after retiring as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The plan, which got upended by Brian Flores' lawsuit against the NFL, would've seen the 44-year-old Brady claim a minority ownership stake in the Dolphins and become the franchise's starting quarterback. Sean Payton, who resigned as head coach of the New Orleans Saints earlier this offseason, would've joined Brady in Miami.
All signs indicate Brady really will play for the Bucs this season. But after that? Everything apparently is on the table, including the future Hall of Famer hopping from one Floridian coast to the other.
From Florio's report:
Even though it didn't happen, it's an important consideration because Brady will continue to hover as a potential addition to the Dolphins. He has a close relationship with Bruce Beal, the right-hand man and successor-in-waiting to Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. With Brady under contract for one more season in Tampa Bay and his deal containing a no-tag clause, Brady will be a free agent in 2023. He will be able to sign with any team he chooses.
Could he retire after 2022? Possibly. But that possibility becomes less significant if we regard his 2022 retirement for what it was. It wasn’t a retirement from football but an attempted retirement from the Buccaneers. When the Miami possibility imploded, and when nothing materialized in San Francisco, his only option was to play for the Buccaneers in 2022.
Next year, he'll have plenty of options. Including becoming the next quarterback of the Dolphins.
Reminder: Brady and his wife, Gisele Bundchen, own property in the Miami area. Furthermore, the Dolphins, with Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at receiver, suddenly have one of the more talented offenses in the NFL.
As for the New England Patriots, the only way they could play the Buccaneers this season would be if the two teams meet in Super Bowl LVII. Of course, if Brady joins the Dolphins in a year, he would be in line to face his former team twice per season.
Oh, the storyline possibilities.
