Tom Brady breaks silence over retirement reports

It was reported over the weekend that Brady, 44, would be retiring from the NFL

Tom Brady has said that he is still considering his options after premature reports that the quarterback would be retiring from the NFL.

ESPN reported over the weekend that the 44-year-old would not be returning for a 23rd season in the league, but this was subsequently denied.

After 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, Brady guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory in his first season in Florida, his seventh Lombardi Trophy overall.

However after the Buccaneers’ Divisional Round exit last week, Brady has been considering whether to return to the team, and the all-time leader in NFL passing yards has said that he is “still going through the process” as he mulls his future.

“Sometimes it takes some time to really evaluate how you feel and what you want to do,” Brady said on the latest episode of his “Let’s Go!” podcast. “I think when the time’s right I’ll be ready to make a decision one way or another, just like I said last week.

“I’ll know when the time is right. Like I’ve always said, I’m very blessed to play as long as I have.

“As things have gone on in the later parts of my career ... there’s a lot of interest in when I’m going to stop playing. I understand that.

“When I know, I’ll know. When I don’t know, I don’t know. I’m not going to race to some conclusion about that.”

Tom Brady has said he is still considering his options after the conclusion of his 22nd NFL season (USA TODAY)

Brady has previously expressed a desire to play until the age of 45, and has maintained close to career-best levels of performance since joining the Buccaneers in 2020.

Head coach Bruce Arians has already confirmed that he is returning for the 2022 season, and has indicated he will call plays should offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich be hired as a head coach elsewhere.

Leftwich has been heavily connected with the head coaching vacancy in Jacksonville, having spent his first four seasons in the league as a player with the Jaguars.

However the pathway to his potential appointment has hit a stumbling block with Leftwich keen to work alongside a new general manager, and the Jaguars apparently unwilling to part with incumbent Trent Baalke.

ESPN also reported that Arians and the Buccaneers staff were bracing themselves for Brady’s departure.

The three-time NFL Most Valuable Player understands why there is such speculation over his future, but hopes it does not overshadow the playoffs - suggesting any decision will come only after February 13’s Super Bowl LVI.

“We’re in such an era of information and people want to be in front of the news often and I totally understand that,” Brady elaborated. “I understand that’s the environment we’re in.

“But I think for me, it’s literally day to day with me. I’m just trying to do the best I can every day, evaluate things as they come, and I’m trying to make a great decision for me and my family.

“There were some very important games going on the weekend, and I know how hard those players work to prepare for that.

“The focus should be on those great games. I was trying to enjoy a nice weekend. It didn’t quite turn out that way because my phone got really busy, but that’s just part of being in the situation I’m in.”