01 June 2023 , 17:05
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The New England Patriots tweeted a brief clip of Tom Brady on Thursday, with the quarterback asking: "Got room for one more?" hinting the seven-time Super Bowl champion could pen a ceremonial contract to retire with the organisation.
Brady and the Patriots enjoyed one of the greatest dynasties in any sport, winning six championships in a glorious run in Foxborough, but he left in 2020 after 20 years with the team, joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for three seasons and lifting his seventh Lombardi Trophy in 2021 before retiring "for good" in February, 12 months after he first said his playing days were over.
Since his exit from New England, the franchise's relationship with Brady has appeared to be distant, although he has remained close with some people behind the scenes, attending owner Robert Kraft's wedding in October.
Kraft said last month he had invited Brady to be honoured at the Patriots' home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium in September, and the tweet from the Pats – with the caption "He's retired, remember?" indicates more plans are in the offing to pay tribute to the franchise's undisputed greatest ever player.
One-day contracts are common across the league to allow popular players the chance to retire with the team with which they called home for the best years of their careers, with San Francisco 49ers legend Jerry Rice and Indianapolis Colts hero Jeff Saturday among players to sign ceremonial deals to conclude their career move the years.
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There had been speculation that Brady, who first retired at the end of the 2021/22 season before returning for another year, could renege on his decision to call it a day in February, but he has since agreed a deal to invest in the Las Vegas Raiders and he told Sports Illustrated he has no doubts over his decision to end his career.
He said: “I’m certain I’m not playing again, so I’ve tried to make that clear and I hate to continue to profess that because I’ve already told people that lots of times,” he said. “I’m looking forward to my broadcasting job at Fox next year.
NFL legend Tom Brady retired for the second time in February. (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)“I’m looking forward to the opportunity ahead with the Raiders and we’re in the process of that along with the other different things that I’m a part of professionally and in my personal life, just spending as much time with my kids as I can and seeing them grow up and support the different things they have going on. That’s a very important job and I take them all pretty seriously.”
Brady was drafted 199 overall in the 2000 NFL draft as an unheralded prospect from Michigan, but he went on to become arguably the greatest to ever play the game, with three MVPs, five Super Bowl MVPs and 15 Pro Bowl selections.
The vast majority of that success was enjoyed in New England and it will delight fans to see him honoured by the team to bring the curtain down on an unrivalled career.