When Bucs QB Tom Brady announced his retirement a week ago, Bucs fans were ready. Days earlier, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington reported that the news from Brady was coming. And listening to the star quarterback’s own words on his “Let’s God!” podcast with Jim Gray, it’s clear he had been thinking about retirement.

But just when acceptance was setting in for Bucs fans, Brady left the door to hope cracked. On this week’s edition of the “Let’s Go” podcast, Brady made it clear that he won’t completely rule out a return from retirement.

“You know, I’m just gonna take things as they come,” Brady said. “I think that’s the best way to put it and I don’t think anything. You know, you never say never. At the same time, I know that I feel very good about my decision. I don’t know how I’ll feel six months from now. [Something could] change, it most likely won’t.

“But I try to make the best possible decision I can in the moment, which I did this last week. Again, I think it’s not looking to reverse course, I’m definitely not looking to do that. But at the same time I think you have to be realistic that you never know what challenges there are gonna be in life. Again, I loved playing. I’m looking forward to doing things other than playing.”

That’s a pretty interesting response from Brady. He could have simply said, “Never say never, but I’m almost definitely not going to ever return.” Instead, he talked through his feelings about a potential return pretty extensively. Of course, it’s highly unlikely that Brady returns. But until the GOAT completely takes it off the table, speculation will run rampant until Week 1.

To listen to “Let’s Go!” on Sirius XM in it’s entirety, click here.