Early in the 2022 season, it seemed more and more likely that Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady would be retiring after the final game of the year. As the final game of the year approaches, it’s starting to seem very possible that he’ll keep playing.
So where? Some with the Buccaneers believe he’ll stay there, if he plays. Ultimately, it may come down to where Brady thinks he’d have the best chance to win his eighth (or, in theory, ninth) championship.
NFL Media, in a fitting Sunday Splash! report given that Brady is playing the 49ers, reports that “all options are on the table” for 2023.
Finally joining the 49ers could be one of those options. They passed on him in 2020. Earlier this year, when coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t go to the Scouting Combine and former Brady teammate Brian Griese became the quarterbacks coach in San Francisco and Brady coincidentally (or not) was visiting his parents in San Mateo, it’s possible that there was another round of conversations during Brady’s 40-day “retirement.”
Would the 49ers say no to Brady again? With Trey Lance both injured and unproven and Jimmy Garoppolo injured and headed to free agency and Brock Purdy still wet behind the ears, Brady could be the ultimate bridge quarterback — one that could bridge the gap to the franchise’s first Super Bowl win in nearly 30 years.
San Francisco’s interest may hinge on the outcome to the current season. If they can get to the Super Bowl with Purdy, they may be content to stick with Lance and Purdy. If they fall short, it could be time to take a chance on Tommy.
Other teams could get into the mix as well. The potential pairing with Sean Payton in Miami was real. Is there a place where they could get together in 2023? Indianapolis? New Orleans? Somewhere else?
It’s all to be determined, from whether he’ll play to where he’ll play to whether, if he doesn’t play, he’ll go straight to Fox or take a year off. And those questions will make Brady, once again, one of the biggest stories of the offseason.