It turns out that Tom Brady never fully grasped or accepted the concept of retirement. The legendary quarterback announced on Sunday that his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers isn't over, and he'll return to the team for a 23rd season in the league. Brady's statement, shared via social media, said that he still has "unfinished business." His retirement period lasted 40 days.
Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht released a statement after Brady's announcement, saying that the team "will continue to move forward with our offseason plans to reload this roster for another championship run." News of Brady's return didn't come as any surprise to football fans across the country, and according to team sideline reporter TJ Rives, Tampa anticipated the news before Sunday's big reveal.
"It's not a coincidence that Brady was at the Manchester United soccer game and the Glazers own them," Rives explained to After Hours with Amy Lawrence on Wednesday. "It obviously was part of finalizing whatever they discussed to get him comfortable with coming back for a third season. And on the timeline, that's exactly how it fit in. He notified Jason Licht and Bruce Arians earlier on Sunday afternoon. I'm amazed it didn't leak anywhere until he announced it...
"They knew for days, leading up to last weekend, that it was possible. And it obviously became reality... They were consistent, publicly and privately, that they believed there was a possibility he'd walk right back in the same door he walked out of, after he had some time away and considered it. And ultimately, I believe some time away led to, 'I'm still healthy, I had a tremendous finish to my final season.'"
Brady had walked away while at the top of his game. He's won a staggering seven Super Bowls, the most championships for a single player, along with five Super Bowl MVP awards. Last season, Brady led all NFL quarterbacks in touchdowns (43) and passing yards (5,316), and helped the Bucs reach the NFC divisional round. Among the league's all-time ranks, Brady ranks first in touchdowns (624), yards (84,250), and Super Bowl appearances (10).
According to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero, the Buccaneers viewed the 2022 campaign as a placeholder year for Brady, in terms of his contract. So, it's possible that the franchise tacks on another year to his deal, in order to keep building another Super Bowl contender around him. Brady currently has a total cap hit of $20.2 million for next season.
The entire Buccaneers conversation between Rives and Lawrence can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow After Hours With Amy Lawrence on Twitter @ALawRadio and @AfterHoursCBS, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.