Former Bucs head coach and current senior football consultant Bruce Arians has been making the rounds with national media this week. And in an appearance on Wednesday’s episode of Pardon My Take, he was asked how long he thinks Bucs quarterback Tom Brady will continue to play.

“Nothing surprises me. With Tom, nothing surprises me. Because he’s in such unbelievable shape. Like I said, he’s throwing the ball better than he did two years ago,” Arians said. “So much of it is his personal life. I think you’ve got decisions. But as far as being able to play, he can still play.”

Arians echoed what many around Brady are saying about his arm strength and ability. The seven-time Super Bowl champion hasn’t lost a step and at his age, that’s remarkable. But he is entering is age-45 season, which is the target he set for himself long ago. Could Arians see him playing beyond 2022? He was asked if Brady could go another five years, but refused to go that far. Of course, that would put Brady around 50 years old by then.

“I don’t know about five [years], but a couple for sure,” Arians said.

Brady is currently set to become a free agent after this season. For now, he and the Bucs are getting prepared to make another run at the Lombardi Trophy.

Arians Comments On Brady’s Broadcasting Future

Bucs QB Tom Brady and senior football consultant Bruce Arians – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

When Brady does retire, he has a lucrative broadcasting deal in place with Fox. Arians knows all about the broadcasting side of the game, having spent the 2018 season as an analyst for CBS. The two-time NFL Coach of the Year has spoken in the past about his time with CBS, mentioning that the travel was the worst part of it. After one year in the booth, he left retirement behind to become the head coach of the Bucs in 2019.

“I was kidding Tom. I was like ‘Hey man, do you know how hard [of] work that is?’” Arians said. “He said ‘Tell me about it, what do I got to do?’ I said ‘It’ll be easy for you because you’ll be flying private.’”

Arians has no doubt that Brady will succeed in his post-retirement role with Fox. After all, Brady tends to be good at just about everything he does, right?

“Tom will do great whatever he [does]. Because he’s a perfectionist,” Arians said. “He’s gonna find out, talk to the right people. He’ll be great at it.”

Arians Once Again Kills Rumor About Relationship With Brady

A lot was made about Arians’ relationship with Brady towards the end of last season and all offseason. Then, when Brady unretired and Arians retired a short time later, rumors began swirling even more. And no matter how many times those rumors have been shot down, the narrative has continued.

In his appearance on Pardon My Take, Arians was asked about the rumor that Brady’s return to football after 40 days of retirement hinged on the head coach’s retirement.

“It was a big one. Nothing could be further from the truth. We have a great relationship,” Arians said. “Tom, he’s asking more questions, and oh, throw him in the golf cart and he’s old enough now, I can drive him off the field.”

As those same rumors swirled earlier this offseason, Arians shot them down and mentioned that Brady had bought him a $50,000 watch. And during his time with the hosts of Pardon My Take, he said he was wearing that very same watch. So, as their “souring relationship” continues to be a non-story, Arians and Brady both hope to add another Super Bowl ring to their collections by the end of this season.