Tom Brady explains his decision to keep playing in the NFL
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is back for another year, confident his body can hold up even if he is reaching the end of his career.
Tom Brady knows he cannot play forever but feels for now there is “still a place for me on the field”. The legendary NFL quarterback Brady is returning for another year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite announcing his retirement earlier in the offseason. The seven-time Super Bowl champion has a single season remaining on his contract in Tampa.
Brady’s body can keep up with his love for the game
Brady is 44 and will be 45 by the time the 2022 season starts. Only two quarterbacks have played in the NFL at a greater age, and Brady will surpass Steve DeBerg (44 years and 342 days) when he next takes to the field.
George Blanda’s record (48 years and 95 days) remains some way ahead, however, especially as Brady acknowledges the end of his extraordinary 318-game career is nearing.
“I knew my body, physically, could still do what it could do and obviously I have a love for the game,” Brady told ESPN, explaining his return. “I think I’ll always have a love for the game. I do think physically I’ll be able to do it. I just felt like there was still a place for me on the field.
“At the end of the day, I just love the competition on the field, and last year was a very bitter ending to a season and we’ve got to make a lot of corrections to try to improve and put ourselves in a better position to succeed moving forward.
“I know I don’t have a lot left, I really do. I know I’m at the end of my career. I wish you could go forever, but it’s just not [possible] and football comes at too high of a cost now. My kids are getting older and it’s just getting harder and harder to miss these things.
“But I wanted to give myself and my team-mates and our organisation another incredible opportunity to accomplish something that we’d all be very proud of.”