Has Tom Brady's decision prompted speculation of more retired superstars to return?
It has been quite an eventful 2022 NFL offseason for legendary quarterback Tom Brady. Just weeks after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were eliminated from the 2021 NFL Playoffs by the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round, Brady announced that he would be retiring from his NFL career after an amazing 22 years.
Brady spent about six weeks as a former NFL player before changing his mind and making the announcement that he would be returning to the Buccaneers. He claimed he had "unfinished business" in his pursuit of another Super Bowl ring, as he seeks his second ring with the Buccaneers and the eighth of his career.
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
Although he retired during the offseason, he never missed a practice or a game, which is pretty unique.
Brady currently has one year remaining on his contract with the Buccaneers. He has also always said that he wants to play until he's at least 45 years old, which he will be able to accomplish during the 2022 season.
Still on top of his game, he led the entire NFL in passing yards and touchdowns last season while finishing in second place for the MVP award.
Regardless of the circumstances, he will be making his triumphant return this season. While his is a special case, unretirement has long been a practice in the NFL.
Tom Brady is not the first and won't be the last NFL player to unretire
Tom Brady joined a long list of players who have unretired. Some of the elite names on the list include Brett Favre, Rob Gronkowski, Randy Moss, Jason Witten, Marshawn Lynch and Deion Sanders.
While unretiring has long played a role in the NFL, the GOAT doing so may inspire others to follow. There have been recent NFL rumors that Drew Brees could be considering a return after he said it was a possibility on Twitter.
Despite speculation from media about my future this fall, I’m currently undecided. I may work for NBC, I may play football again, I may focus on business and philanthropy, I may train for the pickleball tour, senior golf tour, coach my kids or all of the above. I’ll let you know
It's unclear at this point if Brees is serious or not about an actual return, but if he does come back, it's possible that Brady's unretirement played a part in Brees' decision. Brees hasn't played since the 2020 NFL season, so his potential return would be far more shocking than Brady's.