Getty Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady will be a free agent in 2023.
Tom Brady’s future with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers continues to be scrutinized but his former New England Patriots teammate Chris Long offered a sleeper candidate to land the legendary quarterback in 2023. Long won a Super Bowl with Brady as Patriots teammates in 2016 but has since created his own popular sports podcast entitled “Green Light With Chris Long.”
The former pass rusher was asked where Brady could land in 2023 if he does not play for the Bucs. Long listed Brady starting his new career with Fox Sports as the favorite but pointed to the Colts as the top non-Tampa Bay option for the quarterback next season.
“Okay, I got Fox Sports +250. I got the Indianapolis Colts +400,” Long detailed during his October 28, 2022 podcast. “I don’t know if [he] ever said publicly he would never play for the Colts, but I could see him wanting to big d*** Peyton [Manning] because Peyton’s got all the cool kid media stuff going on. Maybe I’ll just go f*** your old fan base… figuratively, but that’s got to feel weird.
“If you’re sitting at home and Tom Brady’s in Indy and you don’t really like Tom. …I’m not saying he doesn’t like him, but he wanted Justin Fields to put up 40 the other night [against the Patriots], right? So, that Tom joins the Colts and wins the Super Bowl like how you feeling? You know what I’m saying, he’s batting 1,000 in Indy.”
The Colts Have Had a Revolving Door at QB
Long was clearly not reporting that Brady is signing with Indianapolis, but the Colts do have a certain type that the Buccaneers signal-caller fits. Since Andrew Luck’s retirement prior to the 2019 season, Indianapolis has leaned on a revolving door of veteran quarterbacks including Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers and Carson Wentz.
Most recently, the Colts moved on from Matt Ryan after just seven games, suddenly opening the door for a new QB1 in 2023. Brady will be a free agent after the season creating multiple scenarios for the quarterback to retire, re-sign with Tampa Bay or join a new team. Heading into the season, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Brady was more likely to retire rather than sign with a new franchise in 2023.
“While one source close to Brady insisted that doesn’t matter — a contract would be worked out if he returned — it is noteworthy,” Rapoport wrote on September 11. “Brady will earn $30 million this year, including a $15 million payment from the signing bonus of his 2021 contract. He received a $13.88 million roster bonus the day after he signed a revised deal in April and will make $1.12 million in base salary. But no new years were added to his current contract.
“Asked if Brady would play for another team after this year, because he’s a free agent, a source close to the QB emphasized greatly the affection Brady has for the Bucs, from the players to the coaches to the front office to the ownership.”
Brady Is Expected to Retire After the Season: Report
Since then a lot has change as Brady revealed he and ex-wife Gisele Bündchen are finalizing their divorce. The Buccaneers are just 3-5 to start the season and are in danger of missing the playoffs. If the Bucs’ struggles continue, could Brady look to come back to end his career on a higher note?
“The 45-year-old is heading into what is expected to be his final season in the NFL, according to sources with knowledge of his thinking,” Rapoport detailed prior to the season. “He has never said it publicly, but multiple parties involved acknowledge that after last year’s retirement then unretirement, the end is coming. That is the understanding, that this is the final year.”
More recently, Brady shot down speculation that he planned to retire during the season. The intrigue surrounding Brady’s future is sure to build, but the quarterback appeared to leave the door open to playing in 2023.
“That’s really why I’m here. I’m here to announce, finally, you guys pushed me to the brink and… no, I think a lot of it for me is us just us going out there to… I love the sport and I love the teammates,” Brady stated during an October 20 press conference when asked about the mid-season retirement rumors. “I want to go do a great job for this team like I always have. No retirement in my future.”