For all intents and purposes, Tom Brady has thrown his final pass as an NFL quarterback. But that doesn't mean that people won't continue to ask Brady about a comeback in retirement. It also doesn't mean that Brady won't have some fun in those moments while teasing a possible comeback himself.
That basically happened during a recent speaking engagement in South Florida, the area that Brady now calls home. Brady was specifically asked whether or not he would consider unretiring for a second time to play for the Dolphins, the team Brady was reportedly interested in joining during his first retirement.
Brady didn't entirely shut the notion of playing for Miami down. He didn't say that he would play for them, either.
"Oh man. I will say, now that I'm not affiliated with any teams anymore, and I have strong ties with a couple teams, I do have some friends on the Dolphins that I really like," Brady said, via the bknown agency. "I wouldn't necessarily say that I root for them all the time, but I root for my friends to do well, and several of them play for Miami."
By answering the question the way that he did, Brady either likes having fun with the question or actually is keeping his options open. It could also be a combination of both.
Based on his quick retirement last summer, and his emotional goodbye video the second time around, it's clear that Brady's thirst for playing football is unquenchable. Like Peyton Manning before him, Brady won't find anything in retirement that gives him the same rush as throwing the perfect spiral that results in a big play for his team. Brady also loves a challenge, and the prospect of playing for a third franchise at age 45 would certainly be one.
All of that said, the odds of Brady returning to play for anyone is far-fetched. He's closing in on 45 years old, is the most-sacked quarterback in NFL history and has nothing more to prove on a football field. Brady also has several other business ventures along with a future broadcast career to keep him busy.
But if he were to unretire for a second time, it would seem that either the Dolphins or Brady's hometown team, the 49ers, would be the two teams that Brady would play for. Both teams are talented but have questions at quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa has had success but has struggled with his health in Miami. An injury prevented Trey Lance from really showing what he could do last season, while his backup, Brock Purdy, is currently dealing with an injury that could sideline him for a significant amount of time next season. Given these situations, it wouldn't be completely out of the question if either team reached out to Brady to gauge his interest in a comeback.
Until that happens, however, it's safe to assume that Brady will continue to enjoy retirement while continuing to have fun with questions about his future plans.
