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Tom Brady is returning for a 23rd NFL season. The 44-year-old quarterback wrote Sunday that he’ll return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after two months of retirement.
These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG pic.twitter.com/U0yhRKVKVm
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) March 13, 2022
Tom Brady is back. A short retirement. The #Bucs never replaced him and didn’t make an offer on Deshaun Watson. They left the light on. Now, Brady is back.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2022
Brady retired following the 2021 season, his 22nd professional campaign. The move came after a 30-27 Divisional Round loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Prior to that, head coach Bruce Arians and talented wide receiver Antonio Brown had a dust-up, leading to Brown leaving the team.
It wasn’t the ideal finish for Brady and perhaps this led to his decision to hang up the cleats. But that didn’t last long.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that Brady’s return will obviously send a ripple effect as Bucs free agents previously considering changing teams may now be reconsidering.
By announcing his decision to return to Tampa tonight, Tom Brady sends a message to the 24 Buccaneers free agents who could have begun entering into agreements with other teams at noon Monday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2022
The move also comes five days after the Buccaneers placed the franchise tag on talented wide receiver Chris Godwin, a contributing part of Brady’s success thus far with the Bucs offense.
And finally, Brady’s news comes a few days after a grand jury in Harris County, Texas chose not to lay criminal charges on Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson. Watson, suddenly a hot commodity on the open quarterback market, potentially could have been a target of Arians. But not anymore now that Brady has returned.
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