"No one wants to be married to an unhappy person" - Analyst believes Gisele Bundchen talked Tom Brady into returning to NFL
There are many assumptions as to why Tom Brady returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers less than two months after his retirement.
Some believe it was his desire to build upon his already impressive NFL resume, while others believe he returned because he was playing at a very high level.
Meanwhile, others think that his wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, was the driving force behind the Pro Bowl quarterback's return.
Mike Greenberg, ESPN analyst and host of the show "Get Up" believes that Bundchen realized that football was still very much a part of Tom Brady's life that needed to be fulfilled. Here's what Greenberg had to say:
“But I can think it is certainly possible that after whatever period of time, it was just said to him, you know something, you're not going to be fulfilled. You're not going to be happy. We'll make this work. You got to go do this until it's out of your system, or you're not going to be a happy person, and no one wants to be married to an unhappy person.”
Greenberg thinks that Bundchen understands that her husband may have been miserable without football (at the moment) and gave him her blessing to continue playing.
Regardless, fans and NFL pundits alike are elated to see him back in the fold for his 23rd season in the NFL. Upon his return after a brief 41-day retirement, Brady released the following tweet to announce his return:
"These past two months, I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business." - LFG
These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG https://t.co/U0yhRKVKVm
Will Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers get past the divisional round of the 2022 NFL playoffs?
Just a few months ago, Brady and the Buccaneers lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs to the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 30-27.
At the conclusion of the season, Brady found recorded a career-high 5,316 passing yards, 43 touchdowns (the second-highest total of his career) and 12 interceptions. It became painfully clear that despite the loss, Brady was playing at perhaps the highest level of his career.
His return to the team was the first domino to fall to get the band back together for another run at the title in 2022. Chris Godwin was re-signed to a three-year, $60 million contract to continue to lineup at receiver opposite Mike Evans.
Chris Godwin new deal: 3 years, $60 million, $40 million fully guaranteed at signing, per source
The Buccaneers also re-signed starting running back Leonard Fournette to a three-year, $21 million contract. The team's offensive players are now, for the most part, all re-signed and ready to go.
With Bruce Arians retiring to the front office, the team will now be led by former defensive coordinator Todd Bowles.
Bowles has prior coaching experience as he was the head coach of the New York Jets from 2015 - 2018 and served as interim coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2011.
Bowles has been defensive coordinator of the team since 2019, so his familiarity with the team should not be an issue moving forward.
It won't be a surprise if the Buccaneers are once again sitting atop the league as Super Bowl champions by the end of the 2022 NFL season.