Has Tom Brady played his last snap in the NFL? That's the scuttlebutt that has circulated the league over the weekend, beginning with CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reporting on Friday that those close to the seven-time Super Bowl champion are anticipating a retirement announcement in the near future. From there, reports noted that Brady was retiring, however, that news was met with some pullback by those in the Brady camp.
So, what does Brady himself have to say about all this? The 44-year-old did briefly address those rumors of a possible retirement during the latest episode of his "Let's Go!" podcast on Sirius XM's Mad Dog Sports Radio.
"I'm still going through the process I said I was going through," said Brady. "When the time's right, I'll be ready to make a decision one way or the other."
When asked about the reports surfacing that he is set to retire, the quarterback said: "I'm responsible for what I say or do and not for what others say or do."
"We're in such an era of information and people want to be in front of the news often," he added. "I totally understand that. I understand that's the environment we're in. I think for me, it's just literally day to day with me."
In La Canfora's reporting, Brady's respect of the game and not wanting to overshadow Championship Sunday and Super Bowl LVI with news of a possible retirement was highlighted as a reason why an announcement -- if it were to come -- would be timed with care.
"The focus should be on those great games," Brady said on the podcast. "I was trying to enjoy a nice weekend. It didn't turn out that way."
The quarterback went on to say that he is "trying to make a great decision for me and my family." The family aspect of Brady's ultimate decision does seem to weigh heavy, which he noted in the previous week's podcast following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' loss in the divisional round.
From a physical standpoint, Brady, who won his seventh career Super Bowl last season with Tampa Bay, seems capable of continuing his career for the foreseeable future. After a 2021 season that has him in MVP discussions, he's still among the league's best at the quarterback position.
Where does that all leave us? Well, in the same spot we've been in for the last few days -- waiting on the official word of whether or not the greatest player in NFL history is actually going to hang up his helmet.
