“I don’t think you can say that” – Eli Manning not buying Tom Brady retirement rumor
Tom Brady finished his unprecedented 23rd season in the NFL as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. With Brady's season over, there have been rumors that the 45-year-old might retire this offseason.
However, former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning doesn't believe in the three-time MVP retirement speculation.
On "Kyle Brandt's Basement," Manning explained why he's not so sure Brady is done playing:
"I don't know if you can say that [Tom Brady is done]. I think it's hard... It's hard to give up when you feel like you can still play. He threw it more than any other quarterback in the NFL this year. Like, that shouldn't be the case for a guy who's 45 years old, right?
"It's what he loves. That's what he's been doing for so long. I think that the longer you do it, it even becomes harder to stop because it just becomes part of your routine and part of your life."
Eli Manning had more to say on the subject, perhaps speaking from a position of experience:
"And it's like, well, what am I going to do, you know, in like in May if I'm not at practice, like what am I going to? How am I going to fill all this time if I'm not preparing for football, and so I think it's hard and he obviously loves it. He's still playing at a high level. So we'll see."
Manning retired after 16 seasons in the NFL, all with the New York Giants, in January 2020. He's the only quarterback to defeat Brady in the Super Bowl twice (2008 & 2012). The question does remain whether the seven-time Super Bowl winner will hang up the cleats.
Will Tom Brady retire this offseason?
Ahead of the 2022 season, Tom Brady initially decided to retire, only to announce his return some 40 days later. This season was one of the roughest of his career, finishing the regular campaign with a losing record for the first time. The loss to the Cowboys in the Wild Card is just the third time he's lost in that round in his career.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took a huge step back this season with Tom Brady under center. The team was 25th in the NFL for points per game (18.4 points), the worst in Brady's three seasons with the franchise. As a result, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich was let go from the role.
The consensus among most players and fans is that Brady will not retire just yet. Brady said he wants time to mull everything over and the feeling is he will play on if he gets an offer from a team in a position to contend next season. Whether the Buccaneers fit the description remains to be seen.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Kyle Brandt's Basement and H/T Sportskeeda.