Since I follow tennis, I pay too much attention to Andy Murray’s comeback after his 2019 hip replacement. He’s been playing well, but he’s gotten some rough draws. He’s committed to playing for a few more years though, and he’s always asked why. Why keep playing with a new hip, a history of injury when he’s almost 35 years old? His answer is basically that he thinks he would regret it if he retired, that he wants to keep playing for however long his body holds up.
I bring up Andy Murray because I think Tom Brady has experienced something similar. Tom retired in late January, saying that he didn’t want a lot of fanfare, he just thought it was time to go and spend more time with his family. That lasted six weeks. Seriously!! SIX WEEKS. Tom announced on Sunday that he’s coming back to “Tompa Bay,” and he’ll play another season with the Buccaneers.
These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG pic.twitter.com/U0yhRKVKVm
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) March 13, 2022
Brett Favre did this a few times too, correct? I honestly believed that Tom would stay retired, that his body had finally had enough and that he wanted to be home with Gisele and the kids. Looks like he experienced that for six weeks and ran screaming. A lot of people are making jokes about Gisele and how Tom was like “wow, I can’t spend every day at home with my wife??” But I wonder if this was something else. While Tom is one of the richest athletes in the world, you can always have more. And I’ll give Tom credit for this one thing, I think he simply enjoys playing and once he retired, he had an instant regret of “but what if I played one more season, damn.”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid and Instagram.
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- 118112, Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen at the Met Gala in NYC. New York, New York – Monday May 5, 2014. Photograph: © TS, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office: +1 310.822.0419 London Office: +44 208.090.4079 sales@pacificc,Image: 530740918, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: TS, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- 157441, Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen at National Geographic’s Years Of Living Dangerously Season 2 world Premiere American Museum of Natural History. New York, NY – September 21, 2016. Photograph: © Darla Khazei, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Photoshot): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 532663568, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Darla Khazei, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- Quarterback Tom Brady (12) listens as United States President Joe Biden makes remarks welcoming the 2021 the Super Bowl LV (Super Bowl 55) Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the White House in Washington, D.C. on July 20, 2021. The event marked the first visit to the White House by the reigning Super Bowl champions in four years.,Image: 622410067, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: picture alliance / Consolidated News Photos, Model Release: no, Credit line: Samuel Corum – CNP / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen at arrivals for Camp: Notes on Fashion Met Gala Costume Institute Annual Benefit – Part 3, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY May 6, 2019. Photo By: Kristin Callahan/
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- Monaco, MONACO – **FILE PHOTOS** Like many public spaces across the country, parks in Tampa, Florida, are closed to visitors because of restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus. That didn’t prevent one man from trying to get an outdoor workout recently. The scofflaw was none other than new Tampa resident Tom Brady, according to Mayor Jane Castor. And, yes, the superstar quarterback was sighted (not cited), she said. Park staff came across Brady while patrolling a downtown park, Castor said Monday during a joint news briefing with St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “I got to tell you this story, too. Now, I always tell people, I’m not one to gossip so you didn’t hear this from me,” Castor said. “Our parks are closed down; and so a lot of our parks staff they patrol around just to make sure that people aren’t doing contact sports and things like that, and saw an individual working out in one of our downtown parks,” Castor said. “And she went over to tell him that it was closed and it was Tom Brady.” Pictured here during a Tag Heuer event during the 76th Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix **SHOT ON 05/26/2018** Pictured: Tom Brady BACKGRID USA 21 APRIL 2020 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Tom Brady is retiring from football after 22 seasons in which he won a historic seven Super Bowl titles. Pictured: Tom Brady BACKGRID USA 29 JANUARY 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shares a moment with daughter Vivian Lake Brady after winning his sixth Super Bowl, 13-3, against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)
Go to the house, bro. No one likes you.
I’m so happy he decided to come back. Football season was going to be so boring without him for me.
Same! Im thrilled
Me too! Thrilling!
I knew when he announced retirement it wouldn’t stick. He lost the Superbowl (yay) but I think he wanted to go out on a winning note. At 44 yo even though he is in tremendous shape and still one hell of a QB – this could be a very rough season playing against 20 yos.
He’s such a weirdo, loon. I think Giselle was like “No way am I gonna deal with this mess. If this is how you’re going to be, please go back to football and leave us alone.”
The thing is both Tom AND G are a lot. Where is the room for their kids? Blech.
All of the kids are their mother’s children.
Yes, they look like Bridgett and Gisele.
That’s all I got.
Ego. After all the fanfare of his retirement to come back so soon?
He must be seeking Aaron Rodgers money.
I’m definitely not impressed. But I’m sure Giselle is happy!!
I am going with ego. His ego is so big, I am surprised he can fit through doors. I lost any respect for him after Ball-gate. He is always the last to leave the party knowing full well that it has been over for hours. I have no respect for a couple with their snake oil spiel either, when we all know that they, well Gisele, uses cosmetic surgery to keep her looking younger.
If he’s seeking Aaron Rodgers money, then that will be a first. Brady has never asked for top dollar – so much so, that other quarterbacks have complained he’s been depressing the market. And actually, there was no fanfare of his retirement, just reporters talking. Brady never even used the word retirement and he’s been keeping up to date with Bucs management all this time. I’m not surprised. He’s got ego, but it’s earned ego.
Brady foregoes a high salary so they can build a team around him. He gets incentives and deferred payments that don’t count toward the salary cap. With his endorsements and TB12, he is doing just fine.
Yeah, I think Tom got pushed into announcing retirement when the ESPN reporter “scooped” him. Giselle had been urging him for several years, but he was still on the fence. The thing is that this is who he is – he loves playing football and everything that goes with it. And it’s hard enough to retire from a everyday kind of career, let alone one that requires the kind of focus that his does. You don’t just go from a million miles an hour to sitting around the house doing nothing.
Not a TB fan!!
However, my parents had this. My dad was a teacher and was forced to retire at 74. My mom worked in a hospital, retired, then came out of retirement to work a couple days a week till she was in her 70s. They really missed the different rhythm, lack of structure, and social engagement.
Sure, I think that’s pretty common. But six weeks seems a little quick.
Six weeks is a long break in the offseason he needs to get back on his training 110% to deliver in Sept. Plus Tampa needs to line up personnel and QB is pivotal. Draft is coming up soon. I think this is about as late as he could leave it TBH.
Tom Brady makes me tired. All the time.
Yes, he is talented at playing NFL football. Yes, he is tall, white and a multi-millionaire who happens to be married to a tall, white, multi-millionaire, his ex gf also happens to be tall, white and a multi-millionaire.
Who Cares?
Millionaire problems are too tiny to even think about in 2020.
Btw, the only time I actually liked Tom was when his team mates got him drunk after the SB win and he threw the Lombardi trophy in a perfect spiral from one boat to another boat full of fans.
THAT was the only time he didn’t remind me of a life-sized Ken doll.
“Retiring to spend more time with his family” inside of 2 months and “He’s Back, Baby!”
Way to show how it is All.About.Tom 24/7/365.
Giselle jokes are not called for, it’s been clear this whole time that Tom makes up his own mind. Blaming women for men’s actions is getting so old. The Bucs made it into the playoffs even when it’s really tough to repeat Super Bowl wins. He must have seen far enough upfield -player and coachwise – to think he has another Super Bowl in him. I’d be plenty concerned about CTE injuries though.
Sure, why not take another year-long chance of turning your brain to jello? Would we notice?
Lol! Seriously though CTE is horrific.
Agreed.
This reminds me of Jay z and Tim McGraw so called ( retirement) that they only did for ticket sales and attention.
I’ll never understand why people find him attractive.
I’m with you. I never understood it either.
I don’t particularly like Brady, but as an athlete, you can’t go back after being retired for 5 years. There is a window- a physicality that ends at some point. No one beats father time.
I don’t remember which retired qb said it, but i recall one of them saying- play and play and play as long as you want to and are physically able.
If he still loves it, and is physically able, he should continue to play.
And i think the patriots were cheaters.
I wonder if his wife is worried about living with an old man with CTE who has violent outbursts, severe memory loss and depression. I would be.
I’m guessing staying home all day with his kids was too much
I knew when he announced retirement it wouldn’t stick. He lost the Superbowl (yay) but I think he wanted to go out on a winning note. At 44 yo even though he is in tremendous shape and still one hell of a QB – this could be a very rough season playing against 20 yos.
His last two Super Bowls were so boring. And now we’re back to hearing the announcers do nothing but kiss his butt and talk about his age. I was happy he was going to retire. He had an amazing career. People consider him the GOAT. But I was happy his retirement would let the other QB’s have their time.
I mean, it’s his job, and if he wants to keep working that’s his right. I’m just sick of him.
I know there are folks on here who really like him. You do you. Just my opinion.
“And now we’re back to hearing the announcers do nothing but kiss his butt”
and all of the refs babying him to make sure he doesn’t get hurt, and calling roughing-the-passer penalties when the passer isn’t “roughed”, and calling pass interference when there isn’t any…I know the dude is one of the best in the game but I HATE the way the referees are so deferential to him. treat him just like you would a rookie.
Yes to all of this.
Not surprised. I get that it’s hard to retire from all you’ve known, but he’s lucky to have gotten this far without serious injury.
Ha ha I love it. Come back and win Tom Brady. Show those haters you still have it. Poor Giselle must be pissed.
Brett Favre did this (returned after retired) and played badly for Minnesota for a season or two. It was embarrassing. Tom Brady has had the best defenses protecting him. He has been lucky not to have been hurt before now. I hope his luck has not run out. If I was his wife I would be pissed right now. When is it ever time for us? Plus, I agree with another poster about tired of all the announcers kissing his butt every game. We never get to hear about the other teams even if they are winning.
I think he genuinely doesn’t know who he is or how to function without dedicating 110% to playing football and his strict diet, etc. He spent so long developing and living his “system”. I think having no reason to keep living that lifestyle is giving him an identity crisis. But good for him, he deserves to keep doing what he loves if it’s what he truly wants.
I agree with this take. I think the dude doesn’t know anything but football and was not happy not doing it anymore.
That pic with the kids looks like a hostage photo. Poor kids
It wasn’t a question of if, but when – anybody who structures their whole life around their job, especially in the particular way that Brady does, will have a hard time if that structure gets removed, even if he initially really did want to retire.
It would be jarring to go from an
entire schedule that revolves around keeping his body in football shape, watching tape, and also being the one who made decisions and was a go-to for his teammates. And yes, I imagine the attention is part of it, too – Rodgers and Wilson have both been in the headlines recently. He might be thinking: Why not me? I also think he derives a lot of his personal motivation from proving everyone wrong through his continued success in the sport.
What is Tom Brady without football? I doubt he even knows, and maybe he’s afraid to find out.
When you been in an institution most your life, it’s hard to adjust to life on the outside.
Whew , a lot of vitriol for an athlete .
This guy is the best that has played the game at his position and he feels he can still contribute at a high level – my QB retired (Brees) and it was time , he was done physically , I think football is better with Brady on the field .
ETA: time has shown deflate gate wasn’t quite what it seemed either.
Look at the data. It was a big deal and changed the odds in Pats’ favor for many years. And then his phone.
Can the guy who just paid half a million dollars for Brady’s “final game” football get a refund?
Because that ball is apparently now worthless
Here in Latin America, Mexico to be exact, it has been reported he was in Manchester a couple of days ago, and he attended a Manchester United match. In said match, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick (three goals) and even took a picture with Tom afterwards. So people are speculating whether seeing 37-year-old Cristiano still delivering might have influenced his decision of getting back in the game, no pun intended. I’m guessing he’d been thinking about it, but seeing CR7 in action sealed the deal for him.
Just my two cents on the subject.
I have completely neutral feelings on this because football is boring to me, but RIP to the dude who payed 500K+ for that last touchdown football of his that was meant to be a retirement trophy piece. 😂
All Brady knows how to do is football. That’s it. His whole career has been an unending and obsessive dedication to football. I can’t imagine how boring he must be when he has to actually be on his own with his family and football doesn’t take up every waking, sleeping, eating and exercising moment. I think Giselle is the one doing the heavy lifting as far as the kids are concerned and I’d be pissed at this decision when she was clearly expecting him to become a more involved and active parent/spouse.
I have leftovers in my fridge older than Tom Brady’s retirement…
I was surprised he decided to retire when he did and I feel like he felt pressured and regretted it. What else does he have going on? Football has been his entire life.
Elvie, your first line is excellent! Thanks 😀
I think he reacted to losing the SB. He had 6 weeks to think about it and simply changed his mind. However, another losing season will probably send him into a real retirement..
Why can’t he just go away and stay away? Take Joe Buck with him!
I think he wants to come back and win one more superbowl. He retired on the loss, I think that really bothered him.