ESPN’s Pat McAfee Predicts Surprise Team Will Sign Tom Brady in 2023

Las Vegas hasn’t announced any plans to keep veteran Derek Carr yet.

Tom Brady’s career future after this NFL season is still up in the air.

Will the quarterback officially retire after 23 seasons in the league to join Fox Sports as a commentator? Or, will the quarterback stay in the league by either re-signing with the Buccaneers or exploring a new team in free agency?

ESPN personality and former Colts punter Pat McAfee has an idea of what he thinks Brady will do, and it probably will come as a surprise to many football fans.

“Tom Brady’s about to be a free agent,” McAfee said on the Pat McAfee Show. “Tom Brady’s going to Las Vegas next year—is that what everybody’s just assuming? The dead cap for Derek Carr if he gets cut by the Las Vegas Raiders is $5 million. ... I think the writing is on the wall.”

Tom Brady is about to be a free agent...#PMSOverreactionMonday pic.twitter.com/dfsTL8QoIM

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 12, 2022

As the Raiders have gone 5–8 so far this season with the veteran Carr, it’s possible the team could look for a change at quarterback in the offseason, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Thursday. If Brady were to sign with the Raiders, it would mark a reunion with Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels, who served as Brady’s longtime offensive coordinator in New England.

This season with the Buccaneers has also been one of the roughest in Brady’s long NFL career. Heading into Week 15, Tampa Bay is averaging 17.2 points per game, the lowest team scoring average in Brady’s career, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Despite the team being 6–7, the Bucs still sit in the fourth spot in the NFC playoff picture as the NFC South leader.

Brady hasn’t announced anything about his 2023 plans, but it sounds as if he will have plenty of options.