In the last game of his twenty-third season, Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady season made a one-game exit from the postseason.
In fairly brief remarks to reports after the game, Brady said his immediate plans were to “go home and get a good night’s sleep.”
He also vowed to take his future “one day at a time, truly.”
Brady ended his brief press conference by thanking reporters for their coverage of the team.
“I just want to say thank you guys for everything this year,” Brady said. “I really appreciate all your effort. And I know it’s hard for you guys, too. It’s hard for us players to make it through, and you guys got a tough job. And I appreciate all that you guys do to cover us and everyone who watches and [is] a big fan of the sport. We’re very grateful for everyone’s support. And, you know, hopefully, you know, I love this organization. It’s a great place to be. I love everyone for welcoming me, all you regulars. And just very grateful for the respect, and I hope I gave the same thing back to you guys. So thank you very much.”
And with that, Brady was gone.
The question is whether he’ll be gone from Tampa. Brady will be a free agent in March. He likely will draw interest from multiple teams, both for his lingering abilities and the basic business reality that he’ll sell tickets and generate interest.
He can go wherever he wants to go. In past years, he seemingly has been looking for a place where the deck will be stacked toward another Super Bowl win.
At one point during the 2022 season, Brady said he’d rather play and lose than not play at all. If, ultimately, he desires to keep playing and competing, that may overcome whether he believes there’s one specific team out there where the table is set for what would be, for him, an eighth championship.