“Happy wife, happy life” - Stephen A. Smith refutes Tom Brady leaving the door open to return to football
Forget what you heard: Tom Brady won't be returning to the NFL, at least that's what ESPN sports show host Stephen A. Smith says.
Stephen A. says despite reports that Tom Brady didn't rule out coming back to the NFL, he claims that won't be happening if Tom Brady wants to keep his home life happy.
Tom Brady: I'm not looking to come out of retirement, but never say never. wp.me/pbBqYq-ccuE
Smith had this to say on "First Take" about Tom Brady returning to the NFL:
“You're 44 going on 45 years of age. You decide to walk away from the game. Your wife has been clamoring for you to walk away from the game. You talk about your wife and children and how important they are to you, which we all know is absolutely true. And you're saying, ‘This is what I need to do for them, not just myself, it’s time for somebody else to take the helm.’ You're going to announce that and then all of a sudden turnaround and say, 'Well, you know what sweetheart? I changed my mind.' Those concussions that I’ve been coming home with that you’ve talked about since 2017? Well guess what? I got the itch, I want to revisit it. After waiting all of these years to retire when you wanted me to retire years ago. And I finally said I'm gonna retire, and now I’m gonna,’ I'm sorry, happy wife, happy life. That brother got to go home. And she's far more important than the rest of us, and she's far more important at this particular juncture in his life, his football career which he just walked away from. I don't believe a damn word he's saying. But I applaud his right to say it."
What Tom Brady doesn't want to do at this juncture in his life is become another Brett Favre, who retired then decided to come back to the NFL.
Tom Brady is no Brett Favre
When Green Bay Packers' legendary quarterback Brett Favre announced he was retiring from the NFL, we all thought it was over, but then Favre decided to retire two more times, bringing his total to three.
This reminds me of when Brett Favre retired and then I cried and then he unretired and retired again and then unretired.
My emotions have never been the same.
Favre ended up playing for the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets before finally retiring with the Minnesota Vikings.
Favre's back-and-forth retirement announcements almost tarnished his legacy as one of the greatest to ever play the game. Brady doesn't want to do that.
Although he loves the game, as Stephen A. pointed out, his obligation should be to his wife and family, not the public.
Brady has achieved all there is to achieve in the NFL as the GOAT. If he chooses to stay retired and spend time with his family, he is well-deserving of the chance to do so.