Tom Brady’s unretirement has been among the biggest news stories since the NFL season ended months ago. The quarterback confirmed on Twitter that he’d be back playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2022 season. His fans were left stunned by the news; many had already prepared themselves for the post-Brady era and now they’ll be ready to use free bet offers for the upcoming season. Keep reading to learn some of the reasons behind Brady’s stunning unretirement.
He’s Still at the Top of His Game
There’s not a lot left for Brady to accomplish in the NFL, which has led to a lot of head-scratching regarding what motivated him to reverse his retirement decision so quickly. After all, Brady has had an illustrious run over his 22 seasons in the league, winning seven Super Bowl rings and three MVP awards. Brady’s dominance of the game has been so great that his presence on a team automatically increased its Super Bowl odds. With him back on the field, the Buccaneers’ chances of winning another title have improved immensely.
Despite the length of his NFL career and all of his accomplishments, at 44 years old, he’s still at the top of his game. It’s hard to think about retiring when you’re as good as Brady still is. Back in 2017, Brady hinted at when he might be ready to retire, saying, “when I suck, I’ll retire.” Whether you follow football closely or are just a casual fan, you know Brady has a long way to go before he sucks. Although the Buccaneers didn’t make the Super Bowl this year, Brady put up some impressive stats throughout the season.
Brady led the league in passing last year and finished second in MVP voting to Aaron Rodgers. He once said he wanted to play until he was 45; however, looking at his performance over the past year, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s still on the field at 50.
He Never Really Retired
Upon closer scrutiny, it appears Brady may have never really retired. Brady didn’t use the word retirement in his original Instagram post about leaving the game. Instead, Brady’s announcement is vague, referencing no longer making a competitive commitment to the sport and his love for his NFL career. He also left the door open by saying, “right now,” he was leaving the field to the next generation.
Some have speculated that Brady retired in February as a strategic move to leave Tampa Bay. While he still has a year left on his contract in Tampa, the team isn’t as attractive as when he joined a couple of years ago. The Buccaneers are set to lose a good number of their starters to free agency and retirement during the offseason, including Leonard Fournette, Alex Cappa, Ali Marpet, and Rob Gronkowski. By retiring and unretiring, perhaps he’s hoping the Buccaneers will trade him. Time will tell whether he’s ironed out a deal to move to another destination for the upcoming season.
He Hasn’t Missed a Beat
Brady’s timing for returning to the NFL is impeccable. Since he was only retired for 40 days, he hasn’t missed out on any of the preseason training he’d need to ensure he’s in the form he needs to be in to compete in his 23 seasons in the NFL. He’ll have plenty of time to commit to a training regimen and lifestyle changes that’ll ensure a smooth return to the field. If he’d waited until July to reverse his decision, he’d have had an uphill battle to get into the shape needed for the upcoming season.
The Buccaneers Left the Door Open
Although rumors swirl about whether or not Brady wants to stay in Tampa Bay, the coaching staff and general manager spent the weeks after Brady’s retirement assuming he may decide to come back for another season. Thus, the team has more than enough time to make adjustments to its salary cap and build a team around him.