It can be very difficult for NFL players to leave the game for good once they contemplate retirement. Playing football for the vast majority of their lives, it’s tough to let go of a sport that many have played since their Pop Warner days. There’s no better example of that than former Bucs quarterback Tom Brady, who apparently wanted to come out of retirement for a second time and play in the league professional again.

Tom Brady Inquired About Coming Back To Play In NFL

Tom Brady did an interview with Alex Sherman on CNBC, where he was asked not only if he was coming back once more, but if he had looked into the rules and guidelines of a minority owner coming back to play in the middle of a season. It turns out that Brady had asked about that idea about returning to play in the NFL despite being a minority owner of the Raiders and got some more information on the subject.

“I actually have inquired, and they don’t like that idea very much,” Brady said. “We explored a lot of different things, and I’m very happily retired. Let me just say that, too.”

Bucs QB Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

So how serious was Brady about possibly playing last year at age 48? It’s tough to say that he was ramping things up to give another go at it. Brady last played with the Bucs in 2022 after coming out of retirement. Tampa Bay went 8-9 and won the NFC South division title that year, but lost at home to the Cowboys in the Wild Card round to finish his career. Following a 20-year run with the Patriots, Brady signed with the Bucs and spent three years in Tampa Bay, winning a Super Bowl with them in 2020.

Tom Brady’s Minority Ownership Has Caused Conflict

Since retiring, Tom Brady has been busy, operating several businesses, getting into broadcasting with Fox, and becoming a minority owner of the Raiders. The latter two endeavors that Brady has gotten into have caused some complications in terms of a potential conflict of interest. He is on Fox’s top NFL broadcast with play-by-play broadcaster Kevin Burkhardt with Brady as the color commentator.

Bucs GM Jason Licht and Tom Brady – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

Typically, broadcasters covering a weekly game will get access into team’s facilities towards the end of the week, watching some practice with production meetings and interviews with players and coaches. Because of Brady’s connection to the Raiders, he is not allowed at the facilities of other teams but can conduct interviews remotely via stream.

Some have argued that it’s not great conduct to speak with other coaches in case he could gather more information to give to the Raiders, but others have retorted that it’s on the coaches he speaks with to not to give away that info, and it’d be no different that what a coach could say at a live press conference. Either way, Tom Brady still has been very close to the game.

Bucs Represented In Flag Football Event

Tom Brady got a taste of football and competition once again participating in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic that took place in Los Angeles last week. The outing consisted of teams that had current players in the NFL including Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr, retired players such as former Bucs tight end Rob Gronkowksi, Internet celebrities and the U.S. Mens’ Flag Football team.

Brady has some highlight moments in the game including throwing a touchdown pass to Gronkowski and also showing enough athleticism to juke a blitzer and fire a touchdown pass in the end zone to Stefon Diggs. Its likely that Brady will never lose that competitive fire, but he may just have to channel it into different ventures, such as that flag football game.

Don’t expect him playing in the NFL this season, but with a comments like he recently made, one can never say never.

To see the full video and article on CNBC, click this link.