Don’t bet on Tom Brady testing Father Time much longer.
In May, Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht told Brady, “If he wants to play til he’s 50 and he’s still playing and he feels like he can still play, then he’ll play until he’s 50.”
As for Brady, the 43-year-old quarterback isn’t so sure he’ll last that long.
“50? That’s a long time,” Brady told USA TODAY Sports in advance of his 22nd season in the league.
“I’ve always said 45 was the age that I wanted to reach and that was my goal. This year I’ll be 44, so next year I’ll be 45. I got a two-year contract,” he continued.
Brady, who turns 44 on August 3, has continued to succeed in spite of his age.
In 2019, Brady posted a career-worst quarterback rating, 55.7, and a first-round playoff exit that elicited the end of a dynasty in New England. Speculation also mounted that Brady’s career was nearing an end.
Brady landed on his feet, however, promptly leading the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl in February. He also threw 40 touchdown passes during the 2020 season, his most since 2007.
“I’m going to be able to obviously play this year, and God forbid anything happens, but play next year and then see what happens after that,” the three-time NFL MVP said. “If I still want to keep playing, I might be able to do that. And if that’s enough, then that would be enough.”
In March, Brady netted a one-year extension with Tampa Bay, signing a two-year, $50 million deal to keep him a Buccaneer through 2022. He would potentially be a free agent entering the 2023 season, when he will be 46 years old.
“I’ll just have to evaluate all that when it comes,” Brady said. “It’s a physical sport, anything could happen. So I’m going to go out there this year and give everything I’ve got like I’ve done every other year and take it from there.”