Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians doesn’t believe that Tom Brady is going to end his retirement ahead of the 2022 season, based on discussions the two have had. If the legendary quarterback does come back, it won’t be for another team, he says.
Arians was asked about the possibility of Brady making an NFL comeback for another NFL franchise. He didn’t outright shut down the possibility, but called trading a player like Brady “bad business,” and set the hypothetical price tag at five future first-round NFL draft picks.
It doesn’t sound as if Arians sees this predicament playing out. Earlier Tuesday, Arians said he’d be surprised at a Brady comeback because of “the reasons he retired.” When asked if he felt that it was odd that Brady hadn’t “really firmly slammed the door shut” on a comeback, Arians said he “slammed it shut when I talked to him.”
Arians joked that Brady “likes to have his name out there,” hence the constant speculation about a comeback just weeks after his retirement announcement.
In early February, less than a week after retiring, Brady was asked about a potential comeback on his Let's Go podcast with Jim Gray and Larry Fitzgerald. After touching on his decision, he said “you never say never,” but that he feels good about his decision.
Arians and Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht are aligned in that if Brady reverses course, they’re happy to have him back for a third season. While they’re preparing for a future without Brady, Licht says the franchise will “leave the light on” for him.
Tampa Bay went 24–9 in two seasons with Brady under center. The team won Super Bowl LV at the end of the ‘20–21 season, following it up with a trip to the NFC divisional round in ‘21–22.
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