Getty Tom Brady has refused to commit to returning for the 2020 season.
Tom Brady wants to make one thing clear — he has not decided on his NFL future just yet.
As Brady was interviewed by Jim Gray in his weekly spot on Westwood One, the 42-year-old QB wanted to stress that he hasn’t made a concrete decision on his future — and he won’t be in the coming days.
“We are a week removed from the end of our season,” Brady said to Jim Gray in his weekly spot on Westwood One (h/t ESPN). “There is a lot of time to figure these things out. I don’t think any player or team is ready to make any commitments at this point, and I’m sure as the offseason progresses those things will take care of themselves.”
Is Tom Brady Unsure of NFL Future?
However, in his latest comments during his interview with Gray, it seemed as if Brady was a little more subdued and unsure of his future, as ESPN detailed.
“The contract things, a week after the season, I would say these things haven’t even started to pick up,” Brady said. “It’s really not my concern at this point. It’s been about decompressing and resting my mind a little bit and resting my body and spending time with the people who have supported me over the last six months.”
While on the topic of his Instagram post, the veteran quarterback seemed to deflect from the topic — refusing to add fuel to the idea that he’ll for sure return during the 2020 season.
“I also think I’m inspired by so many people who push the limits,” Brady said. “I love watching documentaries of incredible human feats. They’re inspiring. People climb these mountains and do things that people never thought were possible. I’m at a certain point in my career where people think what I’m doing is to a degree impossible. For me, it’s about continuing to prove to myself that I can lay it on the line and we can still try to achieve the ultimate goal, which is winning Super Bowls.”
Brady had one of the worst seasons of his career in 2019. His passer rating of 88.0 was at its lowest point since the 2013 season while his 24 touchdowns thrown were the least amount he’s thrown since the 2006 season.
However, it is also true that Brady’s receivers weren’t as deadly as they were in years past. After all, this was his first season without tight Rob Gronkowski in a decade.
As was the theme during his entire interview with Gray, Brady stressed that he has yet to make a decision on his future — and that he will take a long time to come to a concrete decision.
“I can only say how I feel, and that’s what’s the truth to me and what’s authentic to me,” Brady said. “And I have no decision that I have made, and there won’t be for some considerable time. So I know there is speculation; there always is. That’s just part of being in professional sports; that’s part of being a professional athlete.
“When people aren’t talking about this season, they want to talk about next season, and the reality is that next season is quite a ways away. I have some other things that are happening at this time. Like I said, spending some time with my family, my loved ones and giving them the time they need. And then as people begin to plan for next season, like I said, these things will take care of themselves.”
Tom Brady Previously Said Retirement Was ‘Unlikely’
Brady and the New England Patriots‘ season came to a sudden end last week in a 20-13 upset loss in the Wild Card round of the playoffs to the Tennessee Titans. Despite the early exit from the postseason, Brady had stressed in the postgame press conference that it was unlikely that he’d retire.
Via Conor Roche of The Boston Globe:
“I would say it’s pretty unlikely, hopefully unlikely,” Brady said when asked in his postgame press conference if there was any possibility.
The six-time Super Bowl champion further stoked the idea that he would return for the 2020 season when he made an Instagram post on Wednesday stating that he still has more to prove.
While Patriots fans may want an answer sooner rather than later from their legendary quarterback, Brady will take his time on whether or not he’ll return for the 2020 season.
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