Tom Brady Already Teases Potential Return To The NFL

It was the news heard around the world on February 1 when Tom Brady, the man widely regarded as one of — if not the — greatest quarterbacks in the world announced he would be retiring from the game. In a lengthy message shared via Instagram alongside a photo of himself on the field in his Tampa Bay Buccaneers gear, the star went into more detail about why he thought it was time to call time on his staggeringly lengthy career.

Brady shared how he believed someone had to have "100% competitive commitment" to be able to be successful in the sport, before sharing, "This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention."

Of course, Brady's retirement announcement was felt in all corners of the sports world, particularly over at the New England Patriots camp where CEO Robert Kraft reportedly wasn't too happy to see Brady's former team seemingly snubbed from his post. It also raised serious questions about what his now former teammate and longtime friend, Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski, will do next.

But while there's plenty of questions still swirling about what will happen now Brady is gone, there's another big one that's already rearing its head. That question; Could he return to the NFL?

Well, that was fast! Tom Brady only announced his decision to step back from the NFL on February 1, but he was seemingly already entertaining a return by February 7.

"I'm just gonna take things as they come. I think that's the best way to put it and I don't think anything, you know," Brady explained to Jim Gray on the "Let's Go!" podcast. The most telling part, though? The football superstar added a coy, "you never say never." The star — who was 44 years old when he announced his retirement — added he still feels "very good about [his] decision," but also noted, "I don't know how I'll feel six months from now." Interesting...

Brady didn't seem in a hurry to rule out a return entirely, telling Gray, "I loved playing. I'm looking forward to doing things other than playing. That's as honest as I can be with you there, Jim."

Of course, it's not totally out of the question for football players to retire and then return to the game. Brady's own close friend, Rob "Gronk" Gronkowski, did just that in May 2019 when he confirmed via Instagram he was "retiring from the game of football today." Only that didn't last long. In April 2020, it was announced Gronk was heading back to the field to join Brady at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with the two winning the 2021 Super Bowl.

Looks like we'll have to wait and see on this one then!