Not for the first time this year, Tom Brady's NFL future is up in the air, and he has been urged to retire by one ESPN pundit amid speculation that he could return to the New England Patriots.
Despite the Tampa Bay Buccaneers struggling to keep pace with the league's elite with their offensive weapons misfiring, legendary quarterback Brady has remained close to the top of his game, ranking fourth for passing yards and throwing 14 touchdowns versus just two interceptions this season.
Thanks to a woeful NFC South, the Bucs remain odds-on for a run to the play-offs this year despite their 5-6 record, but with Brady's contract up at the end of the season, a move away from a regressing Tampa team appears likely if the 45-year-old chooses to prolong his career – having already reneged on retirement plans before the start of this campaign.
According to NFL insider Jeff Howe, of The Athletic, a return to the Patriots remains possible when his Bucs contract expires and he becomes a free agent.
However, ESPN pundit Jay Williams believes Brady should avoid a reunion with his former team, fearing for his health as he plays deep into his forties. Williams says there is more benefit for head coach Bill Belichick if Brady goes back to the Pats than there is for the seven-time Super Bowl winner, and he believes the 45-year-old should call time on an iconic career rather than head back to Foxborough for a second coming.
"I'd rather see Tom Brady retire than see him back at the Patriots," he said on KJM. "I don't want to see him get beaten up and taken off the field in a cart. I don't.
"But if you're forcing me to address the question, Bill Belichick will appreciate it more. Tom Brady won a chip without Bill Belichick. Bill Belichick has one play-off win without Tom Brady.
"If that led to multiple play-off wins, Bill Belichick would probably have an advantage with Tom Brady returning."
Howe has mooted Brady's hometown team the San Francisco 49ers as a possible landing spot, as well as the Las Vegas Raiders, who have Brady's former offensive coordinator in New England Josh McDaniels in charge. Howe says the Tennessee Titans are also in the frame thanks to Brady's connection with coach Mike Vrabel dating back to the time they played together in Foxborough.
But the most intriguing destination of all could be New England, who drafted Brady as a sixth-round pick in 2000 and, in tandem with Belichick, built a dynasty with six championship rings before leaving in 2020 for a new challenge in Tampa – where he won his seventh title in his first season.
Pats QB Mac Jones has struggled at times in his second season with the team and a short-lived quarterback competition with Bailey Zappe just a few weeks ago indicates the Patriots might not be all-in on Jones, particularly considering their defence is already built to compete for a championship.
