When Tom Brady contacted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, February 1, he closed the only other door he nearly chose besides retirement.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported that Brady’s decision came down to retirement or playing another season with the Bucs despite flurries of free agency rumors surrounding the 23-year quarterback. Brady “wanted to contemplate it in his own head and come to a decision on his own” according to Darlington.
Darlington emphasized that Brady had things narrowed down to the Bucs or retirement for weeks or months though “it was something that people had difficulty believing” because of the Bucs’ overall struggles. The Bucs went 8-9 in 2022, and the team faces $55 million over the salary cap, per Spotrac, with loads of free agents to re-sign.
“But he believed that he wanted to be part of the solution if ultimately he did wind up continuing to play,” Darlington said on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Wednesday. “He was not necessarily planning to play the free agency market.”
“Now, he did [it] in his head. He did go over the options. He thought about all of the different scenarios — the 49ers, even the Patriots at one point,” Darlington added. “Someone had expressed to him the idea of going back to the Patriots, to which quickly he was like ‘it ain’t happening.'”
“It was always going to be, in his head, playing for the Bucs or retiring,” Darlington concluded.
Bucs Express Gratitude for Brady
While the Bucs were “slightly caught off guard by the timing” of Brady’s announcement, as Darlington noted, Bucs ownership, management, coaches, and players rolled out their appreciation.
The Glazer family, owners of the Bucs, wrote in a statement that Brady “set an exceptional standard that elevated our entire organization” and noted his involvement in the community. Bucs general manager Jason Licht, who also worked with Brady in New England, described his appreciation of Brady.
“We will certainly miss him as our quarterback, but I will also miss him as a leader and friend,” Licht wrote in his statement. “Our entire organization is indebted to him for what he provided us over the past three years. We won’t ever forget the wins or the accolades and his influence will be felt for years to come.”
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles, who once coached against Brady, expressed his respect for Brady as a player and person. Bowles also described how their relationship grew over the past three seasons.
“Even before I became head coach, we communicated often and had a strong relationship built on mutual respect and a desire to win,” Bowles wrote in his statement. “That connection only grew over this past season as we fought to get the most out of our football team.”
Bucs running back Rachaad White, who got one season to play with Brady, expressed his gratitude for Brady. White was among the many current and former players to give Brad a shout-out on social media on Wednesday.
“Congrats GOAT, it was a pleasure,” White wrote. “I’m thankful and very grateful of all the things you taught me and just to play by your side.”
Brady is Really Done
While Brady tacitly retired on February 1 last year, a comeback after 40 days before free agency looks highly unlikely this time around. Darlington, who has talked with people close to Brady, emphasized that point.
“So ultimately, I will be very clear on this, everybody is telling me that he is done-done. This is not going to be a reconsideration,” Darlington said on ESPN’s “First Take” on Wednesday. “He is done. He feels at peace with it. He is ready to move on with his life away from football.”
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Tom Brady’s Real Final Options Revealed: Report