Getty Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady reacting in the middle of an NFL game against the New York Jets.
There has been a lot of speculation that the New York Jets could reach out to recently retired quarterback Tom Brady about a potential football comeback.
Brady was asked about those rumors on the Monday, September 18 episode of the “Let’s Go! with Tom Brady, Larry Fitzgerald and Jim Gray” podcast.
Jim Gray asked Brady if the Jets called him and if he was considering them.
“… next question,” Brady responded. “You already know.”
.@JimGrayOfficial asked @TomBrady if the #Jets called him & if he was considering them?
He responded ‘next question’ + ‘you already know’
📻 Let’s Go Podcast @SIRIUSXM #TakeFlight
A Lot of Different Interpretations of That Brady-Jets Soundbite
Jake Asman of ESPN 98.7 in New York said on X previously Twitter that he “feels like the Jets seemingly called Tom Brady about coming out of retirement based on how Brady answered the question here…”
However, on the other side of the coin, NFL reporter Dov Kleiman said Brady “shut it [the Jets rumors] down quickly.”
The thought is the Jets were a quarterback away last season from being a playoff contender and possibly more. This offseason Gang Green tried to remedy that problem by acquiring future Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers.
Four plays into his Jets’ career, Rodgers tore his Achilles which ruled him out for the remainder of the 2023 season. In the meantime, the Jets have turned back to third-year passer Zach Wilson.
So far through two seasons and change, Wilson hasn’t lived up to the billing as the former No. 2 overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft. Last year the Jets’ talented roster and defense were wasted away because of deficiencies at the quarterback position.
To avoid that in 2023, people have suggested on social media and sports television networks that a Jets-Brady pairing could make sense.
The longtime NFL quarterback retired earlier this offseason via an emotional video he uploaded to his social media channels and has continually said over the past couple of months that his football playing career is over.
Kleiman said on X previously Twitter that if Brady was to ever consider coming back to football, “wouldn’t this [the Jets] be the perfect roster to do it on?”
@vanman_1000 I mean, it makes sense but if he were to ever consider coming back, wouldn’t this be the perfect roster to do it on?
Brady-Jets Pairing Isn’t Happening According to NFL Insiders
According to The Athletic, Gang Green didn’t even check to see if Brady had any interest in returning to football.
Although that might be semantics.
Did Jets general manager Joe Douglas and Brady get on a phone call to discuss a potential signing? Maybe not, but there are enough people around each other’s camp to have put out feelers to see if it was even possible.
Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah told Rich Eisen on “The Rich Eisen Show” that it would be “professional negligence” for the Jets to not give Brady a phone call and make him tell them no.
He told Eisen that the partnership was extremely unlikely but you still “100 percent” have to make the call.
The Athletic also shared through their sources that Brady has “made it clear” to people inside his circle that “he’s done playing football.”
Instead of potentially pursuing other options, the Jets doubled down on their former first-round pick. Head coach Robert Saleh said there would be no quarterback competition and made it clear that this is “Zach’s team.”
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Tom Brady Gives Blunt Answer to Whether Jets Called Him to Come Back