Raiders

Tom Brady: I’m Certain I’m Not Playing Again

June 1, 2023

In an interview with SI Now’s Robin Lundberg, Tom Brady definitively stated he’s “certain” he’s not playing again.

Speculation about Brady making a return to the NFL has started since the moment he retired for the second time earlier this year. His recent move to buy a stake in the Raiders sparked another round of that, as NFL rules wouldn’t prohibit him from suiting up for Las Vegas as a player-owner as long as 24 other owners voted to approve it.

However, Brady seemed to slam the door shut, in a way we perhaps haven’t seen in the past when he’s discussed his future plans and playing future.

“I’m looking forward to my broadcasting job at FOX next year. I’m looking forward to the opportunity ahead with the Raiders and we’re in the process of that, along with the other things different things that I’m a part of professionally,” Brady said.

“And in my personal life, just spending as much time with my kids as I can and seeing them grow up, support the different things that they have going on. And that’s a very important job, and I take them all pretty seriously.”

Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox, which is set to start next year. Reports have indicated there shouldn’t be any conflicts with his minority ownership of the team.

Brady, 45, is a former sixth-round pick of the Patriots back in 2000. He was in the final year of his two-year, $41 million contract when he agreed to another two-year extension in 2017.

Brady made $23 million for the 2019 season and was testing the open market as an unrestricted free agent in 2020 when he agreed to a fully guaranteed two-year, $50 million deal with the Buccaneers.

Brady was set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 when he retired.

In 2022, Brady appeared in 17 games for the Buccaneers and completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 4,694 yards, 25 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.

For his career, Brady has thrown for 89,214 yards, 649 touchdowns and 212 interceptions while completing 64.3 percent of his passes. He was a seven-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time Super Bowl MVP, a three-time MVP, 15-time Pro Bowler, and made six All-Pro teams in his career.