Rumors have been swirling around since Saturday on whether or not Bucs quarterback Tom Brady is going to retire. After initial reports said that Brady was hanging it up, other news came out that Brady informed Tampa Bay that he hasn’t made a decision yet.
Because this saga grows larger by the day, the GOAT held a special edition of his “Let’s Go!” podcast, where he addressed all of the recent stories.
The conclusion that we got – he hasn’t made a decision yet. And when he does decide on his future, it’ll come from him.
Tom Brady on his @SiriusXMNFL podcast tonight: "I'm still going through the process I said I was going through. … When the time's right, I'll be ready to make a decision one way or the other."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) February 1, 2022
Although fans want him to make a decision soon. You might not hear an answer just yet.
Tom Brady, asked by Jim Gray on @SiriusXMNFL if he has a timeline for deciding if he'll retire: "I'll know when the time is right. … I'm not going to race to some conclusion on that."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) February 1, 2022
Brady said "I know there's a lot of interest…when I know, I'll know…
"For me, it’s literally day to day. I’m trying to evaluate everything I do…I'll take it day by day and take it by the moments…''— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) February 1, 2022
Brady also addressed the fact that these reports have already been coming out. It’s taken priority over a ton of recent NFL news. Essentially, he can’t control what others put out there.
Tom Brady on @SiriusXMNFL, on ESPN's report of his retirement: "I don't know what different intentions are. It's not for me to control those things." Said there are important games going on and he doesn't want to take away from those. "The focus should be on those great games."
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) February 1, 2022
Speaking with podcast co-host Jim Gray, Brady made his motivation and intentions very apparent. But this isn’t an easy decision, because it impacts multiple people.
Tom Brady: "My motivation for playing football is to win and be successful."
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) February 1, 2022
The reports of Brady’s pending retirement come from ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington, as well as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Those are reputable reporters, so the reports do carry substantial weight. But until Brady decides to announce his future plans on his own, Bucs fans can continue to hold out hope for one more year.