Tom Brady reportedly chose retirement over 1 other option

Dec 5, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts on the field prior to the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Tom Brady on Wednesday announced that he has once again retired from playing in the NFL. Had he decided to return in 2023, it reportedly would have only been for one team.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Brady had for months told those close to him that he would either retire or continue playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers next season. The 45-year-old was not interested in joining another team.

Tom Brady informed Bucs today at 6 am he’d be retiring. One aspect I’d been mentioning for a bit now: Brady for months implied to many close to him that it was going to be either a return to Tampa or retirement. Tough for many to believe, including those close, but he meant it.

— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) February 1, 2023

Brady was set to become a free agent, so he could have signed with any team he wanted. There were at least a few teams that had been planning to make a run at him, but they apparently would have been turned down.

The Buccaneers went 8-9 this season, which was good enough to win the NFC South. They were then blown out by the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 in the Wild Card Round of the NFC playoffs. Despite that, it sounds like Brady would have re-signed with them had he chosen to play another season.

Brady has dealt with a lot of issues in his personal life over the past year, and he knew that could have an impact on the Bucs. While he set an NFL record for completions (490) and passing attempts (733) in 2022, Brady was nowhere near his best. That was likely a factor in his decision to call it a career.