Could a Tom Brady-Bill Belichick reunion actually come to fruition?
The 45-year-old Buccaneers quarterback will be a free agent in 2023, which means he’ll have to make decision about his football future — to either return for a 24th season or retire for good. And if Brady were to continue playing, would he stay with Tampa Bay, or join another team?
“Don’t ever write off the Patriots,” The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, who covered the team from 2009-21, wrote on Wednesday, explaining that the former quarterback-coach duo “still have an abundance of respect for one another.”
Brady and Belichick have exchanged pleasantries in the press on a number of occasions after the quarterback signed with the Buccaneers in March of 2020. Brady moved on to Tampa Bay after 20 seasons and six Super Bowls alongside Belichick with the Patriots.
Howe also acknowledged Brady and Belichick’s private meeting in the visiting locker room at Gillette Stadium following Brady’s return last October.
Former Patriots offensive lineman Matt Light didn’t write off the possibility of Brady returning to the team when asked about Howe’s reporting during an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Wednesday.
“Listen, I wouldn’t put anything past him. Look, the guy wants to win, and he knows how to do it with a guy like Belichick,” Light said. “I think he’s seen the differences now. He’d only played for Bill, then he goes down to Tampa. He’s had a couple head coaches down there now. He could conceivably come back and want to be with a proven winner. That would not shock me at all.”
The Patriots are projected to have the third-most cap space in the league at $52.2 million in 2023, clearing the way for a possible big-name signing should Brady be available. They also have a number of notable players who will be free agents after this season.
The Patriots, however, haven’t seemed to waver on Mac Jones as the quarterback of the future, despite his struggles this season after an impressive rookie campaign in 2021. There were some questions when Jones returned from an ankle injury and was benched for rookie Bailey Zappe when he returned in a loss to the Bears. Jones, though, has since reclaimed his grip on the starting job.
As for Brady? The seven-time Super Bowl champ gave some insight into his playing future during the Monday episode of his SiriusXM podcast, “Let’s Go!” with Jim Gray and Larry Fitzgerald.
When asked by Gray if he will at least be back next year, Brady laughed and said: “I’m on borrowed time anyway, so.”
Last month, Brady made it clear that he will not retire during the season, following speculation that he could cut short his year due to his divorce with ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen. Brady confirmed in a social media post last month that he and the supermodel finalized their divorce after 13 years of marriage.
In September, Page Six was first to report that Brady and Bündchen’s martial issues began with a blowout fight over the quarterback’s decision to un-retire from the NFL. Brady announced his return in March, just 40 days after he announced his retirement in a statement on social media.
After the news of his divorce went public, Brady said he is focused on his family and winning football games.
