All good things must come to an end, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ' failure to reach this season's Super Bowl could mean Tom Brady has played his final minutes as an NFL player.
That's after American football 's most successful servant and seven-time Super Bowl-winner Brady came up short in his bid to deliver back-to-back championships to Florida.
The Buccaneers fell 30-27 to the Los Angeles Rams despite a mighty comeback attempt in the divisional play-offs on Sunday, and their star quarterback is understood to be seriously considering retirement.
Brady, 44, has one year remaining on his contract at Raymond James Stadium, and ESPN reported he could see out those terms out of duty to a franchise who have no sufficient replacement plans in place.
However, fatigue is certain to be a factor at the end of his 22nd NFL season, and Brady will take 'a month or longer' to mull over his future before deciding whether he suits up again for the next campaign.
The veteran was far from his best in a deserved defeat at home to the Rams on Sunday, when he pulled Tampa from a 27-3 deficit to briefly go level, only to see the Bucs undone by a last-second field goal.
Any fans hoping for a certain sign of commitment for 2022 were likely disappointed, however, after Brady was quizzed on his future following the Bucs' exit: "I haven't put a lot of thought into it. We'll just take it day by day and see where we're at.
"I was just thinking about winning. That's just kind of my mentality to go out there and try to win."
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ESPN added Brady is "non-committal" when it comes to the prospect of playing on, and the future Hall of Famer intends to use the off-season to assess his condition mentally and physically before making a decision.
It's understood the former New England Patriot also wants to use the time to discuss the matter with his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, and their two children before choosing his next direction.
It may have in fact helped the Buccaneers to lose, however, considering some sources are quoted suggesting a second straight championship would have made Brady more inclined to bow out on a high.
There's little doubt Brady still has the ability to contend at the top level despite Sunday's defeat to the Rams, who have consistently operated one of the NFL's best defences in recent years.
The Super Bowl ring record-holder broke the single-season best for completions, broke 5,000 passing yards for only the second time in his career and finished the regular season with the most passing touchdowns (43).
Tampa Bay coach Bruce Arians currently has NFL veteran Blaine Gabbert as back-up quarterback and 2021 draftee Kyle Trask as third choice, but neither offer a fraction of Brady's value as a shot-caller.
The Buccaneers would save considerable space on the salary cap if they were to lose Brady, though their run to the Super Bowl in his first season with the franchise was proof of his rare impact.
Brady is expected to deliver an update after the NFL season has officially concluded and he's had time to think, though it's possible the single best quarterback in the sport's history has laced up for the last time.
