Millions of people were shocked by the announcement that Tom Brady would retire after the 2022 season, with him being linked with a number of quarterback-needy teams and potentially having another Super Bowl run in him.
But when he spoke in his short video to camera, Brady did seem genuine in his stance that he will not play again. However, he has been through this before, retiring in 2022 before returning just 40 days later.
And now, Brady is once again being linked with a shock return to the NFL, with the Miami Dolphins being "a team to watch" according to NFL Network reporter Rich Eisen. But Brady has already squashed those rumours, suggesting he doesn't have the time after adopting a kitten.
"Anyone who thinks I have time to come back to the NFL has never adopted a 2 month old kitten for their daughter," Brady said comically on Twitter after rumours circled. It was a strange and unexpected response, but he's certainly got his message across anyway.
Brady, who has lived in Florida since 2020, was heavily linked to the Dolphins in 2020, when the team attempted to bring in both Brady and head coach Sean Payton, which their owner has now been suspended for after tampering, and losing their first-round draft pick this year.
The Dolphins reportedly attempted to bring in Brady again last off-season, when quarterback Tua Tatgovailoa had been struggling through the first two years of his career. And while the Hawaiian performed well in 2020, being an MVP contender at one point, he suffered three concussions in just four months, with many worrying about his long-term health.
And Tagovailoa's future in the league could impact whether Brady returns, with Rich Eisen explaining that Miami could be a potential landing spot for the 45-year-old - if he decided to come back.
Eisen said: "Tom Brady may not be done after all. A couple of people were like, 'just hold on, let it play out and lets see who wants what. And the one place people are saying look out for is Miami. If the Dolphins get a piece of information on Tua Tagovailoa that he may not be ready to go, Tom Brady is right there in Florida... I was told keep an eye on that at the combine."
The Dolphins have one of the best rosters in the NFL, with superstars Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle at wide receiver, being a perfect fit for Brady if he does indeed come out of retirement.
While his team struggled last season, Brady performed well, passing for 4,694 yards - the third-most in the NFL - and 25 touchdowns.
