NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expects the league to return for “at least” four games in Germany through the 2025, but Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady isn’t confirming whether he’ll do so himself.
Brady, who retired and unretired this offseason, long said he wanted to play until he turned 45 years old. Reaching that feat this season had caused many to think it would be his final campaign, however, his recent divorce from Gisele Bündchen now has others questioning whether he could run it back in 2023.
Brady shot down any speculation about an in-season retirement in late October and recently said he has “zero” regrets about returning for the current campaign. But he hasn’t really indicated anything about his long-term future. He expressed much of the same when asked by reporters in Germany after Tampa Bay’s 21-16 victory against the Seattle Seahawks.
“Will you see me in Germany the next four years? Oh man. That’s a tough question,” Brady told reporters, per the team. “There’s probably a lot of people who want to know that question. Yeah, I’m going to take this one for what it was, which was very, very special. And I don’t know what the future holds.”
Brady added: “But it was amazing, got to meet some of the Bayern Munich players and just been a big fan of international soccer for a long time, I know they got the World Cup coming up. So I have a great appreciation for sports, what they do and how they bring people together. And I think this is another indication of that. It’s really cool to get a bunch of American kids to come over here and play in another country, be welcomed the way we were so we’re very grateful.”
Even if Brady was to return next season, it isn’t a sure thing the Buccaneers would be a team that returns back. There’s speculation the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs each are lobbying to play in next year’s Germany game.
Nonetheless, Brady’s victory in Munich helped the legendary quarterback improve to 4-0 in international games. He now is the first NFL signal-caller to win a game in four countries: England (twice), Mexico, Germany and, of course, the United States, per the Buccaneers.
