Just a year after legendary quarterback Tom Brady announced he was retiring from the NFL "for good," he's now admitting that he hasn't closed the door entirely on a potential return to professional football.
Appearing on an episode of the "DeepCut with VicBlends" podcast, the 46-year-old future Hall of Famer said he's "not opposed" to at least answering a phone call from an NFL team in need of a quarterback this upcoming season.
"I don't know if they're gonna let me if I become an owner of an NFL team, but I don't know," Brady said. "I'm always going to be in good shape, always be able to throw the ball. "
Brady compared the scenario to NBA legend Michael Jordan coming out of retirement in 2001 to join the Washington Wizards following a historic career with the Chicago Bulls.
"To come in for a little bit, like MJ coming back, I don't know if they'd let me," he said. "But I wouldn't be opposed to it."
Tom Brady is flying high with a new gig as Delta's strategic adviser
Delta chose not to disclose the amount paid to Brady or provide details about the agreement's terms, but Brady said he's grateful for the opportunity.
However, a few other ventures seem to be standing in the way of Brady strapping on the pads next season.
For one, he is currently in the process of finalizing a deal to become a part-owner of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders, and NFL players are prohibited from owning any equity in NFL teams. Additionally, Brady has a reported $375 million deal to become the lead color commentator for Fox Sports this upcoming NFL season.
So the odds of Brady coming out of retirement may be slim. But it's not like he hasn't done it before.
In 2022, Brady returned to play quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just 40 days after announcing his first retirement. He would go on to lead them to the playoffs that season before hanging up the cleats "for good" last February.
During his 23-year NFL career, Brady won seven Super Bowls, five Super Bowl MVP awards, three NFL MVP awards, and was a 15-time Pro Bowler. He also set all-time NFL records for games won by a quarterback, career passing yards, passing touchdowns and completions.
