Even in retirement, Tom Brady has clearly not closed any doors.
So much that we may need to put some air quotes around retirement.
Appearing on DeepCut with VicBlends last week, Brady outright left the door open to a potential NFL comeback in 2024. Brady even name-dropped some teams in the process, mentioning both the Patriots and Raiders without any sort of nudging.
And though there are some potential roadblocks, from Brady’s post-playing plans of joining a TV booth to a potential ownership stake in the Raiders, it’s clear that there’s still something there when it comes to Brady’s desires and love of the game.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 10: Tom Brady attends Michael Rubin’s Fanatics Super Bowl party at the Marquee Nightclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The obvious favorite here is that Brady stays retired.
Given some of those things previously mentioned, from potential team ownership to his contract with Fox, it may just make more sense for Brady to stay retired and embark on his next adventures off the field. With that in mind, Covers.com has the odds of Brady saying yes to unretiring at +1,000. That kind of payout would indicate that it’s not really something that they think will indeed happen between now and by all means through the 2024 NFL season.
It probably helps that Brady stayed retired for all of last season, and that if he survived a full year of the itch to play football, he can (and probably will) do it again.
Las Vegas Raiders: +125
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 08: Las Vegas Raiders owner and managing general partner and Las Vegas Aces owner Mark Davis (L) and Tom Brady attend Game One of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs finals between the Aces and the New York Liberty at Michelob ULTRA Arena on October 08, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
If Brady cannot say no to a return, however, the Las Vegas Raiders have emerged as the early “favorite,” with the Raiders given +125 odds per Covers.com. Given Brady’s relationship with Raiders owner Mark Davis, as well as the fact that the Raiders are the team that Brady is trying to own a stake in, this would absolutely make a ton of sense.
The Raiders also have an obvious need at quarterback, with the Las Vegas quarterback room currently featuring veteran stopgap Gardner Minshew, as well as 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O’Connell, who is entering his second season after making 11 appearances for the Raiders a year ago.
The Raiders also have some weapons that would entice Brady, headlined by wide receiver Davante Adams, along with fellow ex-Patriot Jakobi Meyers.
New England Patriots: +300
FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 13: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots runs through the tunnel before the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the Tennessee Titans at Gillette Stadium on January 13, 2018. (Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Given what Brady said during his appearance on DeepCut, most notably with Brady bringing up the Patriots as a team he would potentially rejoin, the Patriots being the second-best favorite is not exactly a surprise.
It also makes a ton of sense when you consider that Bill Belichick is no longer running the show in New England (the two had obvious friction towards the end of their time together, as recently documented in ‘The Dynasty’ docuseries), and that Brady returning to Foxborough would allow him to end things on his terms with the club he spent two decades building into an NFL powerhouse we’ll likely never see repeated. You would also have to assume that a Brady-to-Foxborough move would come with first-year head coach Jerod Mayo essentially letting Brady run his offense.
A Brady return would also motivate the Patriots to give Brady a top-tier offensive threat in New England (a need with or without Brady in town), be it in the 2024 NFL Draft with someone like Marvin Harrison Jr. or on the trade market, which currently feature names such as the 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk, Cincy’s Tee Higgins, and maybe Philly’s A.J. Brown.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: +500
TAMPA, FLORIDA – JANUARY 16: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up prior to a game against the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 16, 2023 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
In the third spot, there’s the team that Brady closed his illustrious career with down in Tampa, as the Bucs are considered the third-best option from an odds standpoint (again, per Covers).
It’s worth noting that the Bucs still have some of Brady’s top wideouts on their roster in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, but there is a roadblock in 2024, with quarterback Baker Mayfield with the club on a three-year deal potentially worth $100 million. If Brady were to rejoin the Bucs, it feels like it would be as a midseason replacement.
Brady won Super Bowl LV with the Buccaneers.
San Francisco 49ers: +900
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 11: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers talks with Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers following the game at Levi’s Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
And naturally, there’s the connection to Brady’s hometown club, with the 49ers checking in with the fourth-best odds.
The 49ers are absolutely loaded on both sides of the ball, and after coming up just short with Brock Purdy, perhaps there’s a feeling within the San Francisco walls that they could need a veteran like Brady to help them cross the finish line. This would not be the first time that the Niners felt this way, as 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was open about his ‘serious’ desire to bring back in as the team’s quarterback for the 2023 season.
Miami Dolphins: +1,200
TAMPA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 10: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reacts against the Miami Dolphins during the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 10, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Down in Miami, Brady would be stepping into yet another situation that would allow him to maximize his skills and stats with an absolutely loaded offense headlined by Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. The Dolphins also tampered with Brady in his final season with the Patriots, which only adds to the intrigue now that the Dolphins are even better on the offensive side of the ball with those aforementioned pass catchers.
New York Jets: +2,000
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JANUARY 02: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reacts after being called for a delay of game penalty in the second quarter of the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on January 02, 2022. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Perhaps the weirdest inclusion on this list is indeed the New York Jets. The only way this would work, in theory, would be if Aaron Rodgers was truly unable to work his way back after last year’s achilles’ injury and the Jets were over-the-top desperate to be relevant and make a push with their current roster.
