Getty Tom Brady could entertain calls from NFL teams after retirement.
The Tom Brady rumors are not going anywhere anytime soon with the latest chatter speculating the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback may consider a move to the Miami Dolphins. NFL Network’s Rich Eisen reported that the buzz at the NFL Combine was that Brady would ponder a return to play for the Dolphins, a rumor that dates back to the 2021 season.
“No. 1 rumor I heard at the combine, not in terms of a lot of chatter, but this one just blew my mind. Tom Brady may not be done after all,” the analyst detailed on the March 6, 2023 edition of “The Rich Eisen Show.” “A couple of people were like, ‘Hang on. Just you wait.’
“…Let it play out, let’s see who wants what. And the one place that folks are saying keep an eye out for is Miami. And if the Dolphins somehow, someway get a doctor’s report, a piece of information from a medical evaluation of Tua [Tagovailoa] that he may not be ready to go and suddenly there’s Tom Brady sitting in Florida where his family is located and where he can easily locate himself. Keep an eye on that, I was told by a couple of birdies at the combine.”
The Dolphins Had ‘Impermissible Communications’ With Tom Brady While the QB Was Playing for the Bucs
The rumor is notable as the NFL dropped a bombshell press release in August 2022 detailing the Dolphins punishment for tampering which involved contact with Brady. The league revealed that Miami had “impermissible communications” with Brady while he was playing for the Buccaneers in 2021.
“The Dolphins again had impermissible communications with both Mr. Brady and his agent during and after the 2021 season, while he was under contract to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,” the NFL stated in a press release. “Those discussions began no later than early December 2021 and focused on Mr. Brady becoming a limited partner in the Dolphins and possibly serving as a football executive, although at times they also included the possibility of his playing for the Dolphins.”
Tom Brady’s Previous Unretirement Is Fueling Rumors
Whether or not Brady actually comes out of retirement, the rumors are going to continue to pop up, especially during the season if a contending team sustains a serious quarterback injury. Brady’s track record of ending his first retirement only adds fuel to the idea that the legendary quarterback will eventually consider a return to the NFL.
The one consistent aspect about the rumors is few have Brady returning to play for the Buccaneers. The quarterback is technically a free agent and would be able to sign with any team if he ends his retirement.
“We originally signed him to a two-year deal, and we were hoping it would be two [and] praying it would be three,” Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht told Pro Football Focus during a February 28 interview. “And it turned out to be three.
“So it [Brady’s retirement] was, last year, a little bit of a surprise but not so much a surprise as we thought that this could happen. I have a very close relationship with him, so I’m always in constant communication with him. But then, obviously he came back out of retirement which was great for us. But the plan was to have him as long as we can and go from there.”