SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 11: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reacts prior to the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Two teams are dominating the rumor bay as potential landing spots for the legendary Tom Brady.
It was widely believed that the current NFL season would serve as Brady’s swansong, considering his retirement and the U-turn that followed during the offseason. However, he is now expected to keep on playing given his divorce from Gisele Bundchen.
Of course, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will continue to be an option, yet they haven’t been that great this term and the reigning notion is that the QB will be playing in a different uniform in 2023/24.
While there will be multiple teams in for Brady should he decide to leave the Bucs, the San Francisco 49ers and his former team, the New England Patriots, are seen as the franchises more likely to secure his signature.
The 49ers only just administered a sound beating on Tampa Bay, with Brady throwing one touchdown in the 35-7 loss. If he is weighing up his options, the result could probably go some way into getting him to sign there – there’s also the fact that Brady already loves San Francisco and even signed a game ball with which he threw an interception. It’s basically home for him.
Might Brady Return to His Other Home?
The Patriots will have a tougher time convincing Brady to return after their split in 2019. Letting the seven-time Super Bowl winner leave has proven to be a regrettable decision for the Pats, whose need for a better quarterback is pretty glaring.
While their relationship remains frayed, Brady and his former coach, Bill Belichick, have been saying good things about each other since their estrangement, at least in public.
Whether there are enough good feelings left to help engineer a return to Boston is left up to time to tell, however.