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Former Buccaneers QB Tom Brady on Potential NFL Comeback: 'I'm Not Opposed To It'

Could the GOAT return to football after all?

River Wells

Jan 16, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts before the
Jan 16, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts before the / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
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Tom Brady spent his final year in the NFL in 2022 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, getting bounced from the Wild Card by the Dallas Cowboys and then formerly announcing his retirement from football a few weeks later.

But it seems like you can't ever count Brady out.

Brady was recently interviewed on the DeepCut podcast by creator VicBlends, and he asked Brady point blank whether or not he would be open to coming back to the NFL in an emergency situation later in the year. And while Brady has previously shyed away from such questions, he gave perhaps one of the straightest answers he's ever given on the subject.

"I'm not opposed to it. I don't know if they're going to let me by becoming an owner of an NFL team," Brady said on the podcast. "I'm always going to be in good shape, always be able to throw the ball. So to come in for a little bit like [Michael Jordan] coming back? I don't know if they'd let me, but I'm not opposed to it."

Brady initially announced his first retirement after the 2021 season, but recanted it later that offseason to return to Tampa Bay for 2022. As a result, some fans have always been weary of his retirement the second time, and now, Brady certainly isn't quelling speculation with this answer.

That being said, it would be impossible for him to play for any team if his quest to get an ownership stake with them is successful. The NFL recently instilled a rule that players cannot hold equity in an NFL team, so if he does go through with his bid, that would officially spell the end of his playing career.

That being said, that hasn't gone through yet, and if it does fail, perhaps the former Buccaneers legend will be getting some phone calls after all.

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River Wells
RIVER WELLS

River Wells is a sports journalist from St. Petersburg, Florida, who has covered the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since 2023. He graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2021. You can follow him on Twitter @riverhwells.