Tom Brady could have one last ride with the New England Patriots, new NFL rumors claim.
The 40-year-old quarterback is set to return for his 19th season in the NFL and doesn’t appear to have lost a step, posting numbers near his career highs in the last few seasons. As he continues to play well beyond the age that any other quarterback has performed to this level, the questions about his inevitable retirement have become more persistent. And a new report from Bleacher Report claims that the end could come sooner rather than later.
“Talk persists around the league that Brady is closer to retiring than ever,” the report noted. “Sources close to his small circle of advisers told B/R they could see him riding off into the sunset if the Patriots win another Super Bowl this coming season.”
There could be several factors pushing Tom Brady toward retirement. Aside from the fact that he has little left to accomplish as an NFL quarterback, there seems to be some external pressure for Brady to hang up the cleats.
A report from Sports Illustrated writer Greg Bishop just a few weeks before the Super Bowl last season claims that Tom’s wife has been trying to get him thinking about retirement. The report claimed that the Brady family was on vacation with friend and former University of Michigan teammate Jay Feely when Giselle asked Jay to convince Tom to retire. Feely demurred, telling Tom instead to play as long as he wants.
But Brady, who will be 41 by the time the 2018 season starts, acknowledges that his days in the NFL are numbered. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey that aired on Father’s Day, Tom said that the final snap of his career is in sight.
“I think about it more now than I used to,” Brady said, via CNBC . “I think I’m seeing there’s definitely an end coming.”
https://twitter.com/TomFcknBrady/status/1020527108387295232
There could be some internal factors leading Brady toward retirement. After nearly two decades of the Patriots being the model NFL franchise, some cracks started to appear this offseason including reports of a rift between Brady and head coach Bill Belichick.
Despite the rampant NFL rumors and the hints from Tom Brady himself, the Patriots quarterback has given no solid indication if this could be his final season. If it comes down to winning another Super Bowl title, however, that could certainly be in the cards. The Patriots open the season at 6-1 odds to win another title this year, best in the NFL.
