Each time Al Michaels mentioned Tom Brady during Sunday’s Super Bowl broadcast on NBC, he went out of his way to hedge his statement with something like “If Tom Brady goes through with his retirement” or “If Tom Brady stays retired.”
Whether the legendary broadcaster knows something or is simply reflecting the growing number of voices speculating isn’t clear. But this much is true. A lot of people seem to believe Brady isn’t done playing football.
On Feb. 1, Brady announced he was walking away. Six days after that, he cracked the window a bit:
“I’m just going to take things as they come,” Brady said on his weekly podcast appearance with Jim Gray. “I think that’s the best way to put it and I don’t think anything -- you never say never. At the same time I know that I feel very good about my decision. I don’t know how I’ll feel six months from now. It could change. It most likely won’t. I try to make the best possible decision I can in the moment, which I did this last week. And, again, I think it’s not looking to reverse course -- I’m definitely not looking to do that. But in the same time, I think you have to be realistic that you never know what challenges there are going to be in life. Again, I loved playing. I’m looking forward to doing things other than playing. That’s as honest as I can be.”
Brady holds NFL records for Super Bowl victories, passing yards and touchdown passes. But after saying he wanted to play “until he was 45″ and that he’d retire when he was no longer elite, he’s walking away at age 44 after finishing second in the MVP race.
Rob Gronkowski, who is also pondering retirement, isn’t buying Brady being gone for good.
“The guy can play at any age,” Gronkowski told USA Today. “If he’s 50 years old he can still come back. I think he’s going to come back but in a couple of years. The guy’s a beast. He can play anytime.”
An NFL Network report said even the Buccaneers aren’t fully convinced he won’t be back this year:
“The Buccaneers are leaving the door open for Tom Brady in case the legendary quarterback changes his mind on retirement, and sources say they would do whatever is necessary for him to return.”
Joe Montana, Brady’s idol growing up, told TMZ he thought Brady would be back.
“Look at the team he’s got, why would you want to leave that,” Montana said. “I don’t think it’s done yet. ...He’s still able to play at a high level. The way the season ended for him with the team he has, I think he’ll give it at least one more shot.”
Brandon Bolden, Brady’s former Patriots teammate told CBS that he “wouldn’t be surprised if, come July, he’s trying to get into someone’s camp.”
Bolden thought a comeback was more likely than not.
“I wanted to see how far he could set the bar,” Bolden said. “I’d probably put the percentage of a comeback above 50, because you can just never rule out Tom Brady.”
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