After the Buccaneers were bounced out of the playoffs on Monday night, Tom Brady said only that he would take it one day at a time in determining his future. But teammates think he’s done in Tampa Bay.
NFL Media reports that “several” Buccaneers players felt after their interactions with Brady following the game that he had played his last game in Tampa Bay.
One player said, “I’d be surprised if he’s back.” Another said, “He sounded like a person saying goodbye for good.”
That, of course, doesn’t mean Brady is retiring. It’s possible that he’ll sign with another team in free agency and seek an eighth Super Bowl ring a year from now, at the age of 46.
Another Super Bowl ring will be Brady’s primary motivation if he does decide to return, and given the way the aging Buccaneers roster played last season, it’s easy to see why he wouldn’t think Tampa Bay is the best place for him to win another title.