As Tom Brady gears up for the Buccaneers’ playoff game Monday night against the Cowboys, rumors are already swirling about where the all-time great could play next season.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday the 49ers, Titans and Raiders are expected to make a run at Brady this offseason. Brady, who turns 46 in August, will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. He's expected to keep playing.
“He’ll be 46 years old and I would say there’s a chance that he does not return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite the fact that they very much want him back and plan to make efforts toward that,” Rapoport said Sunday, per the New York Post. “The Tennessee Titans still have some quarterback questions. The 49ers if they do not decide to roll with Brock Purdy, although he’s certainly stating his case. And then the Las Vegas Raiders, who have several of his old friends including Josh McDaniels.”
All three clubs pursued Brady to varying degrees when he was a free agent in 2020. In fact, UFC president Dana White said last summer he helped broker a deal for Brady to play for the Raiders, but then-head coach Jon Gruden nixed the plan.
Brady grew up in the Bay Area, and McDaniels, of course, was his longtime offensive coordinator with the Patriots.
Derek Carr, for what it’s worth, recently penned a letter announcing his departure from the Raiders.
Last week, ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio reported the Dolphins are still a possibility for Brady, though ESPN’s Adam Schefter says Miami is sticking with Tua Tagovailoa as its starting quarterback in 2023.
Last year, it was uncovered that Brady had been surreptitiously speaking with the Dolphins about joining them for years — dating back to before the 2019 season. Miami reportedly wanted to pursue Brady last offseason and pair him with Sean Payton, but abandoned those plans when Brian Flores sued the team for racial discrimination.
