Tom Brady announced his retirement last week, claiming that this time it’s “for good,” but the speculation around the greatest quarterback of all time potentially returning won’t quiet down just yet.
While Brady has a lucrative broadcasting deal lined up in retirement, he said on Monday that he’ll take a gap year before joining FOX for the 2024 season. So, what will Brady do during that gap year and is another comeback possible?
Carl Dukes and Jason La Canfora of the Audacy Original Podcast “In The Huddle” speculated about Brady’s future and a potential comeback yet again.
“(Monday) we find out that he’s going to take a year off before he starts the FOX broadcast job,” Dukes said (1:30 in player above). “So it opens the door – does it not – for everybody to speculate that some point next season – I don’t know where; I don’t know what team – that he’s going to come back and play.”
“Do I think in his heart of hearts he thinks this is the end? Absolutely. I also think he believed that this time a year ago,” La Canfora said. “I think there’s more conviction in it now. I think another season when he was more human than not plays into that.
“However – as Stephen A. Smith might say –, you’re going to tell me that some established coach who’s having a hell of a year couldn’t get him on the backphone couple days after Thanksgiving and say ‘Here’s the deal, man, we don’t even need to do the contract now. Do you feel like getting in shape? If you feel like going out there with Tom House for a couple of weeks – doesn’t have to be a month – and you think it’s going well, I’m going to send you a playbook, look at it, you can not look at it,’ or it might be somebody where there’s already familiarity, whatever.
“‘And let’s talk in December. Let’s talk right around Christmas. And if you want to come fly out here the day after Christmas, we’ll add you to the roster. Maybe we’ll need you. Maybe we won’t. Maybe I already kind of need you because it’s a Brock Purdy-type situation where I’m winning games but do I really think this kid’s going to slay the dragon four times in a row in January and February?’”
The 49ers were one of the teams speculated to be interested in Brady prior to his retirement last week. They could be among the teams that give Brady a call next year if he’s open to returning.
“I think that scenario exists. Now I’m not saying it’s more likely than not, but it certainly doesn’t strike me as impossible. He would still be picky.”
La Canfora took it one step further, suggesting that perhaps Brady’s old friend Rob Gronkowski could join the GOAT.
“‘Hey, Tommy, you got the bug a little bit? Why don’t you go throw for a couple of weeks and see how it feels? Let us have first dibs on you. If you are going to come back – hey, maybe you send Gronk out there too when you’re working out with Tommy House. Why not? We could use a tight end also.’
“I don’t think that’s crazy,” La Canfora concluded.
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