Returning or Retiring? Patriots Tom Brady's Legendary Legacy Secure

Have we seen the last of Tom Brady on an NFL football field as an active player?

As a beleaguered Tom Brady stepped to the postgame podium at Raymond James Stadium on Monday night, many wondered whether it would be for the last time as an active player in the NFL. 

Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers were dominated in what beacme the team’s lone playoff appearance in 2022, as the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Bucs 31-14 in their Wild Card round showdown. 

Perhaps it was a fitting end to a season in which the 45-year-old struggled to maintain his place among the game’s elite quarterbacks — more often than not, looking like the next generation of dual-threat signal callers had eclipsed him. 

Still, Brady finished his 8-9 regular season having respectably completed 66.8 percent of his passes for 4694 yards and 25 touchdowns with nine interceptions. While far from his best season, his numbers seem to indicate that the veteran may still have a bit left in the tank. 

Consequently, the question is already being asked. 

Is this the last we see of Tom Brady as a player on a NFL football field?

The scenario which is about to play out is one that should be quite familiar to New England Patriots fans, who clearly remember the legendary quarterback’s exit from the team in March 2020 following an opening-round playoff loss to the Tennessee Titans.  

Brady signed with the Buccaneers, leading his new team to the postseason in each of his three seasons, winning one Super Bowl championship.

The Patriots, by comparison, have missed the playoffs on two of those three seasons. 

Accordingly, Tampa Bay may now be wondering whether they are about to endure the same fate of Brady’s former team.

After a brief 40-day flirtation with retirement last offseason, Brady decided to return for another season with the Buccaneers. Despite having a largely substandard season (by Brady’s standards), there were moments when he continued to flash the ability that has made him a legend, and arguably the greatest the game has ever seen. 

Whether a demoralizing loss in the opening round of the playoffs is enough to drive Brady away from the game to which he has dedicated his life remains to be seen. 

Only he knows for sure. 

Regarding his future intentions, Brady’s place among the top of the pantheon of NFL greats has been firmly established. Should this be the end of his illustrious career, Brady would finish with regular season totals of 89,214 passing yards, 649 touchdowns and a cumulative 64.3 completion percentage. 

Brady has also dominated the postseason, where he has compiled a record of 35-13, as well as a quarterback rating of 89.8. He completed 62.5 percent of his postseason passes for 13,049 yards and 88 passing touchdowns. Brady has won seven of the ten Super Bowls in which he has played, earning the big game’s MVP five times.

In short, Tom Brady has been synonymous with success…and whether you love him, envy him, or love to hate him, his presence will be missed by the NFL universe when he does leave the game.

Despite being engulfed by a sea of envy in most of the country, as well as a puddle of resentment regarding his departure, Brady is still largely revered in New England. He is firmly entrenched among the immortal beloveds of New England sports. In fact, he might be the most admired sports figure in the history of a city that has been the home to such icons as Williams, Orr, Bird, and Russell. Visions of game-winning drives, improbable comebacks and championship parades are forever a part of the region’s generational memory bank. Prior to his taking the reins as the Patriots starting quarterback in 2001, New England knew little but defeat. Since that time, they have enjoyed unparalleled success. Though he may have temporarily taken his talents to Tampa Bay, Tom Brady will forever be a Patriot in the eyes of many.

Of course, not everyone will be sad to see Brady go. As incredulous as it may be, Brady is a villain in most other sections of NFL fandom. For them, Brady’s retirement will be welcomed with open arms — even causing a select few who have especially suffered at the hands of Brady-led teams, to erupt into decadent delight. 

It would also make some envy-ridden members of the national (and local) media squeal with glee. 

Yet, much to the chagrin of his numerous detractors, Brady does not find his motivation in appeasing the unfounded opinions of media “talking heads.” Instead, he is perpetually motivated by the desire to win. This desire has served him well; reaching a level of rarefied air in securing seven Super Bowl championships, an accomplishment which no other NFL quarterback has ever enjoyed.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Brady was non-committal when asked about his future intentions just minutes after his season had ended. 

“I’m going to go home and get a good night’s sleep," Brady said with a smirk. "One day at a time.”

Brady’s struggles clearly made him prime kindling for a social media blaze of ridicule. However, the truth of the matter is that the Bucs loss was less about their quarterback’s failures than it was about the Cowboys being a more talented and far better-coached team than Tampa Bay.

With the Buccaneers coaching staff refusing to utilize the run to facilitate play-action (which is where Brady is typically at his best), they forced the ball to remain in his hands by attempting a career-high 66 passes. The veteran completed 35 of them for 351 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. 

As he ponders whether to return for his 23rd NFL season, speculation will continue to run rampant about where Brady may play in 2023. Set to enter unrestricted free agency, various reports have linked him to the Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans — as well as potential reunions with ex-offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels with the Las Vegas Raiders or even with Bill Belichick in New England.

Surprisingly, Brady’s return to Tampa Bay appears to be his least-likely destination for the upcoming year, as he interestingly intimated during his post game remarks on Monday night.   

"I love this organization," Brady said. "It's a great place to be. Thank you everybody for welcoming me. Just very grateful for the respect and I hope I gave it back to you guys."

Whether he chooses to walk away at 45, 46 or 50 years of age, Tom Brady will do so as one of the rare figures who reached a status equal to the game which he played. His fans will miss him. His depreciators will cynically find fallacious ways to discredit his accomplishments.

But make no mistake about it, he has earned the right to make this decision his … and no one else’s. 

In that vein, all eyes will be on Tom Brady’s future in the coming days and weeks, just as they were three years ago. 

After all, as William Shakespeare once wrote: “What is past is prologue.”

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Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots

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