Tom Brady Has Reportedly Made A Decision About The Future Of His Football Career

Tom Brady first raised fan alarms when the superstar NFL quarterback vaguely alluded to a possible retirement earlier this month. Following a divisional loss by his Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Los Angeles Rams on January 23, Brady remarked at the Buccaneers press conference that he was unsure about returning to the league. "I haven't put a lot of thought into it," Brady clarified at the time. "So, we'll just take it day by day and kind of see where we're at." 

Compounding this sentiment on the January 24 episode of his "Let's Go!" podcast with Jim Gray, Brady said, "There's really no rush to figure out what's next. I'll know when I know. It's a day after the season and we can all decompress a bit — it's been six straight months of football," per Sporting News. The father of three with wife Gisele Bündchen, Brady noted his focus for the time being was on his brood. "Now it's just time to spend some time with my family and my kids," he said on the podcast. Brady sure has some time to weigh his options going forward, given that his current contract with Tampa Bay lasts through the 2022 season, per Forbes. 

However, reports have surfaced a mere few days later that Brady has already made a final decision.

Could this be really it for Tom Brady and his historic career in the NFL? Apparently so, as sources told ESPN on January 29. After 22 seasons and a record-setting seven Super Bowl wins, insiders shared that Brady already knew he was likely leaving the sport behind following his Tampa Bay Buccaneers' loss to the Los Angeles Rams on January 23. Factors that played a role in Brady's decision reportedly include his family and his health, as well as the Buccaneers' roster turnover next season. 

Now, according to ESPN's sources, it's just a matter of when and how Brady will formally announce his retirement and any specific plans for his post-football life. Brady — who previously told NBC Sports, "If I'm not a championship-level quarterback, then I'm not gonna play" — has emphasized for weeks amongst his inner circle that he doesn't want a "farewell season," via ESPN.

The outlet noted that Brady's company, TB12 Sports, appeared to confirm this development in a since-deleted tweet, while his agent, Don Yee, preferred to stay mum and let Brady make any retirement comments for himself. "Without getting into the accuracy or inaccuracy of what's being reported, Tom will be the only person to express his plans with complete accuracy. He knows the realities of the football business and planning calendar as well as anybody, so that should be soon," Yee said in an official statement.