Getty Tom Brady's retirement continues to be a puzzle.
Tom Brady has barely been retired but there are already plenty of conspiracy theories about his true intentions with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During a February 9 interview on The Rich Eisen Show, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer revealed that Brady had some “frustrations” with the Buccaneers that likely contributed to the quarterback’s decision to retire.
“I think if Brady comes back, it’s with another team,” Breer noted. “I think there was some level of, and I think Brady loves the guys he worked with, okay. Like loves [general manager] Jason Licht, loves Bruce Arians, loves [offensive coordinator] Byron Leftwich. I do think that there were little things that frustrated him there and having come from this titan operation as he came from for 20 years that’s perfect situationally.
“That knows how to handle everything. That is so buttoned down and business-like. I mean, I think that there were things as far as the way…like from in-game things, to the handling of the Antonio Brown situation. That I think, over time, started to get to him a little bit. And so, I don’t think he’s coming back as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer.
“Now, if there’s a contender out there that he aligns with that has a quarterback injury, then maybe you could see it where that team comes in and say calls Tampa and says, ‘Could we work something out where Tom could come here?’ And maybe Tampa would accommodate that.”
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Brady Had ‘Grown Frustrated With Some of the Buccaneers’ Coaching,’ Says Insider
The typical narrative surrounding Brady’s move to Tampa had been how the quarterback was enjoying the Florida weather and building a strong relationship with Bruce Arians, the antithesis of Bill Belichick. Yet, it is not just Breer that believes Brady was not completely happy with the Buccaneers. According to The Athletic’s Mike Sando, Brady had “grown frustrated with some of the Buccaneers coaching.”
“This is the most interesting QB situation, from my perspective,” Sando detailed on February 14. “A month ago, when word was circulating through league channels that Brady was considering retirement, some close to the situation indicated the quarterback had grown frustrated with some of the Buccaneers’ coaching. Brady retired, then suggested he would keep open the door for a possible return, in a ‘never say never’ framing.”
Brady Would Once Again Be a Free Agent in 2023
Why is any of this important now that Brady is retired? If true, it would leave the door open wider for the possibility of Brady returning to the field in the coming years. Brady has one more year remaining on his contract with the Bucs and would need to either be traded or released to play elsewhere in 2022. The quarterback could sit out next season and be free to sign with the team of his choosing in 2023.
“Brady might not have been willing to force a trade from the Buccaneers to the 49ers, which could have gotten messy and affected his legacy in a negative way, while straining relationships in Tampa that he surely values very much,” Sando added.
It would not be surprising if Brady had some frustrations, like most people have at their workplace. The bigger question is if Brady grew so frustrated that it was easier to walk away from football than force his way out of Tampa. The longer Brady stays retired, the quieter these rumblings will become, but a surprise comeback would give credence to these reports.