Interestingly, more than a few members of the NFL community have openly suggested that quarterback Tom Brady hasn't yet taken the final meaningful snap of his historic career even though he announced his retirement less than two weeks ago.
Patriots radio broadcaster Scott Zolak recently became the latest individual to link Brady with a potential move to the San Francisco 49ers, his favorite team growing up, while others continue to tease that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could do the seven-time champion signal-caller a solid by releasing him rather than placing him on the reserve/retired list:
If Bucs move Brady from the roster, the label utilized by the team becomes critical. If he’s placed on the reserve-retired list, Tampa Bay controls his rights moving forward. If he’s released, Brady becomes a free agent, able to sign with any team at any time. https://t.co/hgnxDbUV09
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) February 9, 2022
Running back Brandon Bolden spent seven total seasons as Brady's teammate with the New England Patriots and added his name to the growing list of people who aren't fully convinced the G.O.A.T. is retired when he told CBS Sports Wednesday he "wouldn't be surprised if, come July, [Brady's] trying to get into someone's camp."
"I was — I don't wanna say bummed out — when he retired, but I was like, 'Dang,' because I wanted to see how far he could set the bar," Bolden explained. "(But) I'd probably put the percentage of a comeback above 50, because you can just never rule out Tom Brady."
People close to Brady such as Gisele Bündchen, his wife, and tight end and "best friend" Rob Gronkowski have publicly reacted to last week's news as if the 44-year-old is serious about riding off into the sunset and won't be returning to action either before or after his 45th birthday that he'll celebrate in August.
As of Wednesday, Brady is signed with the Buccaneers through the 2022 campaign, but that could merely mean he's a tradeable asset ahead of or after the upcoming NFL Draft. Brady could've ended such speculation during Monday's edition of his "Let's Go!" podcast but instead said he currently views playing again as a "never say never" option.
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