"I think I can!" Tom Brady on playing until 50

Brady on the future

Tom Brady turned 44 prior to the start of the 2021 NFL season and while there were some rumblings about retirement, the 7 time Super Bowl champion put them to rest saying he could play until he turns 50 years old. On the most recent installment of the the 'Tommy & Gronky' series on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers YouTubechannel, Rob Gronkowski asked him if he believed it possible to play until age 50 and Brady answered calmly, yes. “I don't think it is a difficult question. Also, Florida is a good state for retirement, so I feel like I could play and drift into retirement, I think I can. So the answer is yes, ”Brady replied.

For the season so far, TB12 recorded 379 yards with four TDs and a pair of interceptions in the Bucs' win over the Dallas Cowboys on opening day. Not bad for a veteran.

Longest standing QBs in NFL history

In the history of the NFL there have been a handful of players who crossed the 44 mark, on the other hand only three of them have been quarterbacks. Vinny Testaverde, Steve DeBerg and George Blanda. Testaverde was the first overall pick in the 1987 draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He would go on to play for six other teams before finally retiring in 2007 at the age of 44 after a storied career.

DeBerg played as a backup for the majority of his 20 year professional career in the NFL. Unfortunately his career came to an end with his release from the Atlanta Falcons in 1998. He was 44 at the time. Blanda, who retired at 48, is incidentally the only one amongst the three who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.In addition to being a quarterback, he was a kicker which understandably allowed him to prolong his career. As a QB he accumulated 26,920 yards, 236 touchdowns and 277 interceptions with a record of 53 wins, 50 losses and a draw.

Looking across the others, it's hard to argue that with his career numbers, Brady isn't now primed to not only join the select club but put himself in a class of his own as well.