Getty Tom Brady going to the Dolphins is "definitely on the table" according to a source via Pro Football Talk.
Tom Brady leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Miami Dolphins looks like it really could happen.
A source “with general knowledge of the various dynamics regarding all things Brady” told Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio that Brady going to the Dolphins is “definitely on the table” for 2023. Brady could become a free agent in the offseason unless he retires or the Bucs re-sign him.
Florio noted that this source “firmly believed Brady could land with the Dolphins back in 2020”, and text messages from the Brian Flores discrimination lawsuit confirm that the Dolphins pursued Brady. Miami acquiring Brady and former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton in 2022 fell apart amid the Flores lawsuit, which he filed over discrimination after his exit from the Dolphins head coach position.
The Dolphins have a young and talented quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa, who is still on his rookie contract. However, Tagovailoa suffered two concussions and a neck injury during the regular season, and he is doubtful for the Dolphins’ Wild Card game this weekend.
.@BartScott57 could see the Dolphins bringing in Tom Brady as their next QB.
Thoughts? 🧐
Tagovailoa’s health ultimately raises questions about his future with the team. Either way, the Dolphins could make him a backup to Brady for a year if needed, Florio noted.
A move to Miami could benefit Brady on a personal level since of two his children, Benjamin (13) and Vivian (10) live in the area. Brady highlights the importance of his family often in interviews.
For now, Brady wants to focus on the Bucs’ Wild Card game with the Dallas Cowboys on January 16, which he reiterated during his “Let’s Go!” podcast this week. Brady acknowledged the importance of focusing on the present and recognizing the unpredictability of life amid Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin‘s medical emergency and recovery last week.
“And I’m not thinking about next [year] and this and that and this — no. We’ve got a chance to go practice, let’s be great at that, and that’s how I feel. That’s what we should all take from that, that’s the lesson we learned,” Brady told co-host Jim Gray.
Brady’s Curtain Call?
Brady may not play another NFL game if the Bucs lose to the Cowboys because the 23rd-year quarterback hasn’t made a final decision on next season.
“It seems like a forgone conclusion to most that Tom Brady will be back for another season, but that’s actually far from guaranteed,” independent NFL reporter Dov Kleiman wrote via Twitter. “The Wildcard playoff game against the Cowboys might be the last game in Brady’s career.”
Kleiman is far from alone in that speculation. Kyle Brandt talked about it on ESPN show “Kyle Brandt’s Basement” on Wednesday. Dan Patrick talked about it on “The Dan Patrick Show” on Wednesday as a real possibility.
Todd Bowles Doesn’t See Cowboys Game as Brady’s Finale
Bucs head coach Todd Bowles doesn’t view the Cowboys game as Brady’s last game with the Bucs or in his career.
“I didn’t think about that in 2020, I didn’t think about that in 2021 and I’m not thinking about that this year,” Bowles told the media on Wednesday via Pro Football Talk. “I’m trying to stay focused — we’re trying to stay focused and make the main thing the main thing.
“Right now, we have a really good football team that we’ve got to play Monday night that we’ve got to get ready for,” Bowles added. “We’ll worry about that when we need to worry about that – right now, we need to worry about the Cowboys. It’s a good football team that we’re about to play [so] we’ve got to get ready.”