Tom Brady unretirement speculation has persisted since he announced his NFL exit, and the quarterback icon remains on the Buccaneers’ roster. The Bucs are interested in Brady returning; they are not open to accommodating any wishes the future Hall of Famer might have about playing elsewhere this season.
Bruce Arians said Tuesday the Bucs would not release Brady or trade him to another team this year, calling such moves “bad business” for his team, via Kevin Patra of NFL.com. Brady is under contract for 2022, due to the Bucs extension he signed last year.
Brady has hinted at a Brett Favre-style return, potentially around the time training camps open. The Packers traded Favre to the Jets for a conditional draft choice after he backtracked on retirement No. 1 in 2008. That pick ended up settling in the 2009 third round. The Jets let Favre sign with the Vikings as a free agent in 2009, following his second retirement. Arians said it would require something outlandish — “five No. 1s, maybe” — for Tampa Bay to entertain trading Brady, who has not requested a trade, Jason Licht said, via the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin.
The Bucs taking this course of action would shelve the 22-year veteran this season. Brady had long hoped to play through at least his age-45 season, and he opened the door to more seasons after the Bucs won Super Bowl LV. Despite bringing its entire core back, Tampa Bay could not advance past the divisional round this season — one that may or may not have featured a significant Brady-Arians disconnect. While Arians attempted to shoot down those rumors, Brady has been connected to unretiring and maneuvering his way to a third team.
As for Brady unretiring and playing for the Bucs, Arians made sure to confirm that door remains open. The team has been connected to big names since Brady’s retirement — from Russell Wilson to Deshaun Watson — but the fourth-year Bucs HC would welcome Brady back.
“That door is never closed,” Arians said. “Whenever Tom wants to come back, he’s back. … If Tom wants to come back, we’ll have plenty of money for him.”
That would take some doing, given the team’s immediate need at quarterback and host of 2021 starters set for free agency. The Bucs have barely $2MM in cap space. By placing Brady on their reserve/retired list after June 1, however, the Bucs can move $24MM of his dead-money charge to 2023. It seems that is where this is headed, for the time being.
Uninterested is a hilarious word here. Like it’s stamp collecting or deep sea documentaries.
Deep sea stories are quite fascinating. It’s where all
life began…..
I’m currently reading “Beyond the Deep” which is a very interesting, non fiction, cave diving adventure.
I don’t know what else they would say. Brady is still under contract. If players could just retire to switch teams, GMs would have literal heart attacks.
Guess he expects them to roll over for him like the Patriots did…..
Bucs played themselves giving Brady an extension last year. The man was 44. But sure let’s risk having a ridiculous cap hit for a retired player.
Nobody believed he was going to retire this year. Also, I’m sure there were some cap games played with the extension.
the Cardinals shouldn’t extend Kyler because he could retire tomorrow!
Kyler is 24
so? that didnt make Brady retiring soon after signing an extension significantly more likely to retire. in fact, Kyler could go play baseball if he didnt want to play with the Cardinals.
In what world would someone making QB money leave to a sport where he would have to start in the minors, be good enough, get to the majors, wait 6 years to free agency and then if he’s lucky get a payday similar to his NFL one. Signing a 44 year old to an extension in any sport is I’ll advised.
Also that other sport is locked out and not even playing…..so I’ll call that bluff.
What DS
said…..
Love the man but my goodness I’m sick of hearing about Brady. Hope the Bucs stick to their word and don’t trade him. Make him play out his contract
The NFL salary cap structure is a joke, Why should teams be penalized for a player retiring? If tom Brady was making 25 million this year, and retires, the Bucs should be granted that cap space.
Exactly ed…..
The Bucs should jam him if he tries to sign somewhere else.
Like they have a choice, he can literally unretire and just sit out the season and then become a free agent next year.
Just posturing here from the fool Arians.
How shocking
The door is open for Brady but the window is closed for the Bucs.
they won a super bowl a year ago so I think fans are pretty satisfied.
When you factor in the success the Lightning and Rays have recently had those fans in Tampa Bay have been spoiled rotten.
Arians can be annoying but I’ll give him credit for saying it aloud. And he is right players like seeing themselves in the newsy cycle being talked about. Brady is no different.
With Giselle’s career door beginning to close due to age, and the fact that she’s shelved her career for the last decade probably won’t allow Tom to walk back on retirement even though, he’s still playing at an elite level and when surrounded by a good enough team, probably could be back into the SB again!