Tom Brady sounded like someone who has taken his final snap with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after Monday night's playoff loss. The betting market, however, isn't convinced he's done the Bucs, though.
That's assuming, of course, Brady doesn't finally call it a career.
If the greatest quarterback of all time does want to give it yet another go, he'll need to make a very important decision about where he'll do so. Brady is a free agent this offseason, and seeing how the Bucs limped their way to an 8-9 record before a first-round blowout loss at home, the 45-year-old might prefer a change of scenery.
DraftKings Sportsbook on Tuesday released next-team odds for Brady, including every single team in the NFL. Don't hold your breath on him usurping Josh Allen or Justin Herbert, as the Bills and Chargers, respectively, are among a handful of teams with the longest odds at 200-1.
The top of the board, though, is quite interesting headlined by a return to Tampa Bay as the early "favorite." Here's a look at the top of that list:
For which team will Tom Brady take his next regular-season snap?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +200
Las Vegas Raiders +250
San Francisco 49ers +350
New England Patriots +750
Miami Dolphins +750
New York Jets +900
Tennessee Titans +1500
Seattle Seahawks +1800
Washington Commanders +2000
Pittsburgh Steelers +2000
The Bucs make sense if for no other reason than familiarity. Brady knows the organization, he knows the area, and assuming there aren't any widespread changes, he knows the coaching staff.
After that is where things really start to get interesting. The Raiders, who are reportedly interested, are an obvious option given Brady's ties to head coach Josh McDaniels. Las Vegas is also going to be in the market for a quarterback after presumably moving on from Derek Carr.
And if you're looking for a team with "value," it might be the Tennessee Titans. Brady was tied to the Titans during his first free-agent foray before ultimately signing with Tampa Bay in March 2020. He's friends with head coach Mike Vrabel, who basically has all the power in Nashville at this point, and there's QB uncertainty there with Ryan Tannehill being no sure thing in the short or long term.
And then there are the Patriots. It's certainly the most intriguing option, with a chance for Brady's career to come full circle and return to where it all began. Maybe absence made the heart grow fonder, but it does seem difficult to believe he'd be interested in a reunion with head coach Bill Belichick -- and vice versa. However, if there ever were a time in this small window for it to make sense, it's right now.
The Patriots are at a point where if they gave up on Mac Jones, it wouldn't be crazy after his second-year backslide. New England also is in the market for a new offensive coordinator, and if someone like Bill O'Brien were to make his own Foxboro return, that's certainly a coach with whom Brady had plenty of success.
The one lock is that if Brady does decide he wants to play a 24th season, his decision regarding where it happens will become the biggest storyline of the entire offseason.
