Tom Brady to Patriots? 'That Ain't Happening!' Says Retiring Icon
Not many knew what would happen after the Dallas Cowboys knocked Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of the playoffs. Speculation said that Brady could look to leave Tampa Bay in favor of joining a team like the Las Vegas Raiders in pursuit of another Lombardi Trophy. Some even suggested that Brady could sign with his childhood team, the San Francisco 49ers.
None of that happened, as Brady decided to call it quits on a legendary 23-year career in the NFL. But was a return to the New England Patriots ever discussed?
"No, that ain't happening," Brady reportedly said about that suggestion, per ESPN.
"He thought about all the different scenarios, the 49ers, even the Patriots have one point," ESPN's Jeff Darlington stated. "Someone had expressed to him the idea of going back to the Patriots to which he quickly was like, 'It ain't happening.' The Dolphins was not happening. It was always going to be, in his head, playing for the Bucs or retiring."
While the 45-year-old ultimately didn't take his final snap in the place he spent the first 20 years of his career, New England, that hasn't stopped the Patriots owner Robert Kraft from trying to get Brady to sign a one-day contract that would allow him to retire a Patriot.
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