TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady said he decided only last week to retire from the NFL after 23 seasons. But when asked Monday if there is a 1% chance he could resume his playing career, he deftly sidestepped the question.
In fact, Brady said he won’t begin his job as the lead analyst on the NFL on Fox until the fall of 2024, which, presumably, leaves him available to return to play at any point next season.
“I think the finality of it was just last week,” Brady told host Colin Cowherd on “The Herd” on Fox Sports radio. “I think the future is always very hard to predict for all of us. Nothing is really guaranteed. But I think you just take it day by day. As my friend tells me, the future happens a day at a time. I’m super excited. I really am. I think there’s a lot of great things ahead.
“I think you need to create space for those things, too. When one thing ends, naturally other opportunities present themselves. You know, I don’t try to make predictions. Sometimes I’m really good with certainty, and I think in this case I’m good with a little bit of uncertainty, even though I have some great opportunities in my professional life ahead. I’m really excited about those things. ”
Brady said he is “super proud” of how he devoted himself to football and the things he was able to accomplish during his 23 seasons in the NFL.
“I felt like I’ve given a lot, I’ve gained a lot. I’ve learned a lot. And life is about, you know, exciting things ahead,” he said. “I think when one thing closes, like football has for me, you know, 32 years of my life, and I look forward to what’s ahead.
“There’s new chapters and there’s new exciting things and there’s new growth and new opportunities. I’m really excited for what’s ahead. I’ve loved my time in football. It’s absolutely an incredible love in my life and it’s hard to make decisions like that, but it’s certainly the right time.”
Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract to be the lead analyst on NFL games for Fox in May 2022. But apparently, he’s in no hurry to get behind a microphone.
It’s left the door open for speculation as to whether he could be coaxed into playing at some point during the 2023 season.
Last August, the Miami Dolphins forfeited a first-round pick in 2023 and a third-rounder in 2024 for tampering with Brady from 2019-20. The Dolphins have said they’re committed to Tua Tagovailoa as their starter, but he missed parts of six games with concussions.
“I think, for me, I want to be great at what I do,” Brady said. “I think even talking last week to people at Fox Sports and the leadership there allowing me to start my Fox opportunity in the fall of 2024 is something that’s great for me. Take some time to really learn. Become great at what I want to do. Become great at thinking about the opportunity and making sure I don’t rush into anything.”
Brady said he wants to make sure he’s as prepared as he can be before starting his broadcast career.
“I think when people really bet on me, one thing about my career, when I was drafted by the Patriots or signed in free agency with the Bucs, I want to be you know, fully committed and I never wanted to let people down,” he said. “I think my biggest motivator was that.
“So, even in the future I want to be great at what I do, and that always takes some time and strategizing and learning and growing and evolving, and I have so many people to rely on that can support me in that growth, too. It’s going to be a great opportunity for me to take some time to really certainly become at my Fox broadcasting job, which I’m really looking forward to, but also catching up on other parts of my life that need some time and energy.”
Brady has been spending time with his three children. Cowherd indicated that Brady on Monday was in New York, where his oldest son, Jack, lives with his mother, actress Bridget Moynahan.
Brady said the Bucs’ faith in him motivated him to be at his best in Tampa Bay, where he won back-to-back NFC South titles, qualified for the playoffs three times and won Super Bowl 55.
“It was, and you know it should be, hard,” Brady said. “Let me tell you, the NFL is hard. The competitive nature of sports is hard, and there’s nothing you’re going to experience in life that is worth attaining that’s not hard and has its challenges. And I think what we accomplished in Tampa when I was there was an amazing part of my football journey, and I couldn’t have done it without the people there that were there that were fully embracing what I brought. That’s why I chose that.”
“From the Glazers to Jason Licht and the coaches and B.A. (Arians) and all my teammates, they welcomed me with open arms. I think if you really want to get to me, appeal to my heart and say, ‘We trust you, Tom. Come in and do what you do,’ and I think you’re going to get the best version of me when you do that. Again, there’s naturally a part of me that’s very self-motivated to always prove to myself that I don’t want to let people down but also to prove, ‘Hey, you bet on the right person.’”
Brady said he has been spending time with family before he has to commit fully to his new broadcasting career next fall. He plans to watch Super Bowl 57 between the Chiefs and Eagles but not just as a fan. He plans to concentrate on the Fox broadcast between Kevin Burkhardt and former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen. Brady has been promised Olsen’s chair next fall.
“I wish I was playing,” Brady said. “We didn’t get there this year, unfortunately. But the teams that did deserved it, and to see Patrick (Mahomes) and Jalen (Hurts) lead their teams is amazing. It will be a fun week for the Super Bowl. ... 50% watching the game and 50% listening to those two.”
