Hard To Envision Tom Brady Retiring After Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Tough Playoff Loss

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ season is officially over.

Following a 21-point comeback that nearly culminated in yet another highlight for Tom Brady’s career, the Buccaneers fell just a little short in their 30-27 loss versus the Los Angeles Rams.

The Super Bowl title defense is over and there’s little doubt there will be changes on the horizon for the 2022 Buccaneers. While this squad will face many questions entering the offseason, there will be none bigger than whether or not Brady will return for another season.

Entering the Bucs’ divisional round matchup, reports surfaced that teammates anticipate this could possibly be Brady’s last game. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported as such entering the game.

“He hasn’t signaled one way or the other what he’s going to do,” said one source close to Brady, “and maybe he doesn’t know himself. But it wouldn’t be surprising if this was the end.”

“Nothing’s been said, but there is a sense among some guys in the locker room that this is it, one way or the other,” said La Canfora. “It’s just little things here or there they are picking up on. Maybe it turns out to be nothing.”

Prior to this week, it had been assumed that Brady would return for the 2022 season. After all, he did sign a contract extension last offseason that would lock him in for another year. He’s also stressed time and time again that he plans to play until he’s 45 years old.

Brady’s conviction to play until age 45 has been strong — until now.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington also chimed in on the reports on how this could be Brady’s last playoff run, saying how he “remains noncommittal” for the 2022 season.

The report cites that Brady plans to take his time when it comes to making a decision. It also states that had the Bucs repeated as Super Bowl champions, it would have increased Brady’s chances of walking away from the game.

“Brady, 44, plans to take time after the season ends — a month or longer — to assess how he feels physically and mentally while also gauging his family’s desires, sources told ESPN.”

It certainly wouldn’t be a major shock to see Brady retire. There is literally nothing for him to prove.

The 44-year-old quarterback had one of the best seasons of his career in 2021, once again proving to be arguably the league’s best passer in the midst of the 22nd season of his career. He posted a career-best 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns (best in the NFL).

Following the loss, Brady gave little answer regarding his future.

However, it’s hard to envision the G.O.A.T walking away after such a tough loss in the playoffs. The Bucs nearly defeated a high-powered Rams squad without two of their best receivers during the season — the injured Chris Godwin and the recently-released Antonio Brown — and they went the entire 2021 campaign decimated by injuries to their defensive unit.

In fact, Sunday’s game versus the Rams represented the first time all season long that every member of Tampa Bay’s projected starting defense was on the field at the same time.

The Buccaneers should be healthier in 2022. While the injuries are no excuse for coming up short of a Super Bowl, they definitely played a role in the 2021 squad not having a fair shot at defending its crown.

Head coach Bruce Arians — who will turn 70 years old next season — stated during the postgame presser that he will return for another season.

Brady won’t allow his career to end on a tough playoff loss to the Rams. In fact, he won’t allowed his career to end knowing he lost his final three games to Los Angeles in rather resounding fashion.

That just wouldn’t be the proper storybook ending to the greatest career in NFL history.

With an opportunity to end his career the right way — with another Super Bowl win — with a reloaded and healthy Buccaneers squad, it only makes sense for Brady to return for one more season.