Tom Brady hints at NFL comeback, but is it true?
It's been less than a week since Tom Brady officially announced his retirement after much deliberation. Now he's hinted at a comeback. Can he be trusted?
Given his reversal regarding his actual retirement, is this yet another example of inconsistency in the legendary QB's comments?
Could Tom Brady come back?
Less than a week after he announced his retirement from the NFL, Tom Brady seems to already considering a return to the sport that he left an unforgettable mark on, sort of. Speaking to co-host Jim Gray on his podcast "Let's Go," the former Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback said "you never say never," when asked about the possibility of returning to the field of play. While his comments were neatly nestled amongst reaffirmations that his retirement was in fact the real deal, the fact is TB12 left the door open.
"You know, I'm just gonna take things as they come," Brady said. "I think that's the best way to put it, and...you never say never. At the same time, I know that ... I feel very good about my decision. I don't know how I'll feel six months from now ... It most likely won't (change). But I try to make the best possible decision I can in the moment, which I did this last week. And, again, I think it's not looking to reverse course; I'm definitely not looking to do that. But (at) the same time, I think you have to be realistic that you never know what challenges there are gonna be in life." Brady went further saying, "Again, I loved playing, I'm looking forward to doing things other than playing. That’s as honest as I can be with you, Jim.”"
For the moment Brady remains under contract with the Bucaneers. That in itself is an interesting point to note, simply because if he wanted to play again, it would be very easy to do so anytime before June. For salary cap related reasons Brady will more than likely remain on Tampa Bay's roster until that time, assuming the Bucs don't choose to release him. What's that mean in short? If Tom Brady does decided to play again then it would simply be a matter of showing up to practice.
Tom Brady's words have not been consistent lately
While there are undoubtedly going to be many debates about whether or not Brady could return and more over if it's even a good idea, the reality is when we consider the chronology and choice of his comments in recent weeks, a picture of inconsistency starts to develop. Just a week ago Brady said - on the very same podcast - that he remained undecided on his football future and would make a decision when the “time is right.” A day later he would go on to post an 18-paragraph farewell announcement on his official Instagram account. Additionally, it should also be noted that Brady for quite sometime had stood by the notion that he would retire when he began to "suck." In his 22 year career, this last season was undoubtedly one of his best. Brady led the NFL in passing yards (5,316) and touchdowns (43) while guiding the Bucs to a franchise-record 13 regular-season victories.
So what can we expect from Tom Brady?
Though we can't be entirely certain what Tom Brady will do where his future - or not - in the NFL is concerned, the seven time Super Bowl champion did give some insight into what he was thinking of doing in the immediate future. “I want to be able to give back to people, and whatever form or fashion that takes, I’m up for it,” he said. “I want to see other people do well and maximize their potential in life, whether that be an athlete, whether that be an entrepreneur, and so many lessons I’ve learned I think I can apply to those people and those professions. I’m not sure exactly what the future looks like, but it’s very exciting for me to think about those types of things.”
With everything considered, the question that clearly remains is, will Tom Brady change his mind again? Stay with us to find out!