Take a deep breath. Admit it.
Tom Brady’s arm looked pretty damn good in that Fanatics Flag Football Classic, didn’t it?
You can’t blame fans if they watched him drop a dime for Stefon Diggs and wondered whether the ageless wonder could mull over another return to the NFL.
At 48, Brady would be in territory only treaded by Oakland Raiders quarterback George Blanda – the oldest player at the position in NFL history, (although Blanda played at that age in 1975, which feels like an even greater feat given modern training and nutrition).
There are the obvious factors that work against Brady: he’s been out of the league for three seasons and one has to imagine his fitness and strength have deteriorated since his last retirement, as would happen to any 40-something athlete. What’s unlikely to have changed, however, is Brady’s obsessively studious nature and dedication to greatness.
Just last September, Brady lamented how the game’s been “dumbed down” for younger quarterbacks, when speaking on Colin Cowherd’s “The Herd.” It’s not hard to imagine Brady relishing the chance to get back out on the field and prove that even in his more – ahem – advanced age, no other quarterback can dissect an opposing defense like him.
And Lord knows Brady hasn’t kicked up his feet in retirement, floating around on some pool float in Florida all day. The guy cannot seem to turn down an opportunity for a check, whether the pay day comes from FOX Sports or Pizza Hut. I mean come on, the man who railed against diet sodas is in commercials extolling Large 3-Topping orders at every TV break.
But there’s a massive hurdle Brady would have to overcome to get back into uniform. He secured a 5% stake in the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 and works in an advisory role in addition to his broadcasting duties.
While other sports leagues like Major League Soccer have granted allowances for active players to hold equity in franchises, it just hasn’t been done in NFL’s modern era. Per Sports Business Journal, MLS’ Inter Miami wrapped equity in the club into Lionel Messi’s 2023 contract and NBA players may invest directly in WNBA teams.
A recently memo obtained by the Journal in 2023 showed increasing debate around whether coaches, executives, or quarterbacks should be able to invest in a team. It’s currently very much against league rules.
There are obvious potential conflicts in any active role player in a football team owning a part said team. What if a quarterback has equity in the San Francisco 49ers, but becomes a free agent and signs with Los Angeles Rams? The success of his new team could directly contradict his financial interests with his previous club.
This issue was raised just two years ago when a rumor circulated before the NFL Draft that Caleb Williams wanted an equity stake in whatever team picked him. Of course, whether that story was true or totally unfounded, nothing has come of it.
A professional athlete has sold his stake in a team to return to play before. As noted by Sportico’s Michael McMann, Magic Johnson sold his 4.5% ownership in the Lakers in 1996 when he unretired, but then later bought his share back from the Buss family.
Brady has already straddled unusual relationships in the league since retiring. He made waves by sitting in the Raiders’ coaches’ booth in a headset last season and the league relaxed broadcast rules to allow for Brady to attend production meetings with other teams around the league despite his stake in Vegas.
If anyone’s going to push the envelope when it comes to being able to do it all, wouldn’t it makes sense that it would be Brady?
How realistic is all of it? It seems unlikely. But then again, with TB12, it’s best to just say, ‘Never say never.’
