Tom Brady addresses retirement rumors following Buccaneers’ playoff loss to Rams

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were ousted from the playoffs and had their dreams of repeating as Super Bowl champions dashed as they fell to the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round. Not only did the Bucs’ season come to a close on Sunday, but so may have the legendary career of Tom Brady. 

Leading up to this playoff showdown against Los Angeles, rumors ran wild that this could be the final run for the 44-year-old, who could elect to retire this offseason. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora even reported that some teammates of Brady’s on the Buccaneers are bracing for him to potentially walk away from the NFL. 

“I haven’t put a lot of thought into it,” Brady said of his future in the immediate aftermath of Tampa Bay’s loss. “We’ll just take it day by day and see where we’re at.”

When asked if he took a moment on the field to absorb the possibility that this might have been the final time he’ll be on a field as an NFL player, Brady said: “I was just thinking about winning. That’s just kind of my mentality to go out there and try to win, give my team the best chance to win.”

Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians confirmed that he’ll be back for the 2022 season. As for whether Brady will be joining him, Arians said that decision is “totally up to Tom.” 

Brady has long talked about playing until he is 45 years old and has recently even considered the idea of sticking around the NFL until he is 50. While that all may sound otherworldly, this could conceivably be the final time that the greatest player in NFL history has played. 

Even with that fact looming over the league and the Buccaneers organization, Brady’s potential retirement isn’t due to deteriorating talent. This season, he led the NFL in passing yards and passing touchdowns, while completing 67.5% of his passes. Those totals also have him in the thick of the MVP conversation. 

If Brady does decide that this is the end of the road, his career was unmatched in NFL history. The 199th pick in the 2000 NFL Draft has every significant accolade at the quarterback position imaginable. He’s the all-time leader in wins, passing completions, passing touchdowns, and passing yards. His seven Super Bowl titles are also the most ever by a single player. 

Of course, Brady will likely remove himself from this latest loss to L.A. before ultimately deciding on his NFL future. As he does that, the Bucs and the majority of the NFL will hold their breath.