Tom Brady to play until he's 60? Joe Montana thinks he can
In his 22nd season, Tom Brady guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a promising start to the 2021 campaign, holding a 3-1 record through the first four games.
Despite pulling out a tough win against the New England Patriots in Week 4, it hasn’t overshadowed his overall strong showing this year. He’s currently second in the league with 1,356 passing yards, tied for third with 10 touchdown passes, and holds a 100.3 passer rating.
Tom Brady, the new NFL career passing yards leader with 80,560, needs about 500 more to have TWICE as many yards as Joe Montana (40,551) did. But it's a different game now. Eight of the top 10 passing yards leaders have played in the past decade and four are still active.
Joe Montana thinks Tom Brady can play until 60
Brady’s high level of production has pushed forth the notion that he could possibly extend his career to age 50. Hall of Famer Joe Montana has taken that a step further by playfully suggesting that the seven-time Super Bowl winner can play until age 60 if he wants.
“They don’t even touch him,” Montana joked via Bucs Wire. “He’s hardly ever getting hit. So, he could play until maybe 60, I don’t know. It’s always about the physical part. How long can you handle that part of it?”
Although Montana isn’t being serious about his comments, it does speak to how he feels about Brady’s longevity. He’s well into his 40s and still playing at a high level and the overall assumption is that he can continue to do that as long as he wants due to his commitment to health and work ethic.
At the same time, Montana did voice that Brady has had a chance to extend his career because of the increased safety the league has put in place for quarterbacks to avoid violent hits.
“As long as he physically can throw the football.. he’s not a runner, you know, he’s going to stay in that pocket,” Brady said. “As long as you can protect him in there, he’ll stay in there, and they’re not gonna hit him. So yeah, he’ll play as long as he can keep performing like that.”
Obviously, things can change over time, but Brady’s current trajectory puts him on course to play as long as he wants. The 44-year-old is under contract through the 2022 season, putting him at 45 when he either retires or extends his career.
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Super Bowl Wins:
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Joe Montana 4
Terry Bradshaw 4
Troy Aikman 3
Eli Manning 2
Peyton Manning 2
Ben Roethlisberger 2
John Elway 2
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Brady has voiced that he wouldn’t mind playing more years in Tampa Bay, leaving the window open to playing well beyond that. Ultimately, the ultimate dictating factors will be his health and his family.
Brady has voiced that he will speak to his wife and children about what path is best for him after his contract expires. His passion for the game remains strong, and time will tell what lies ahead.