Legendary quarterback Tom Brady returned to the field last weekend as one of four captains in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic, and while he looked the part of a seven-time Super Bowl champion in an excellent showing, an NFL comeback is probably not in the cards.
Brady quarterbacked the Founders FFC squad, which lost both games in the three-team tournament and sustained a 43-16 rout at the hands of Team USA. Even in defeat, Brady showed off the skills that made him the most decorated signal-caller in NFL history. After coming in off the bench in relief of Jalen Hurts, Brady delivered a fourth-down touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs for the highlight of his day.
“I loved being out there playing in the flag game,” Brady said to CNBC. “I loved not getting hit. I’ve got a lot of really fun things I’m involved in. It’s never going to get old throwing passes to incredible athletes on the football field, but if anything, that game reconfirmed to me that I’m very happy in my retirement.”
The contentment with retirement has not stopped Brady from looking into the feasibility of a return to the NFL, though. Brady has already come out of retirement once (albeit without missing a season of action) and won a seventh Super Bowl after initially hanging up his cleats. Could he do it again?
The problem with a potential second comeback is that the NFL would never allow it given Brady’s current role as a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I actually have inquired,” Brady said. “They don’t like that idea very much. I’m gonna leave it at that. We explored a lot of different things. I’m very happily retired. Let me just say that, too.”
Why Tom Brady cannot play in the NFL
The NFL in July 2023 changed its ownership policy, creating a rule that would come into play if Brady legitimately seeks a return. The rule bars him from playing for the Raiders even though he has an equity stake in the team. Before that rule change, ownership standards would have already prevented him from playing for any of the other 31 teams, anyway.
Potential conflicts of interest are at the center of this issue. Team employees (including players) are prohibited from acquiring ownership stakes because of, among other things, potential salary cap circumvention. If they were to be traded or sign with another team, competitive integrity would come into question given their vested interest in the team they own performing well.
Would any team sign Tom Brady?
In order to become NFL-eligible, Brady would have to divest from the Raiders. Returning to the field would also force him to set aside his broadcast role with Fox. And even then, he would need at least one team to show interest in signing a 48-year-old quarterback.
It is not unheard of for a team to start a quarterback in his 40s, as the Pittsburgh Steelers appear set to hand the keys to their offense back to a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers in 2026. Joe Flacco turned 41 two months ago and just signed a deal to return to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Brady won his last Super Bowl at 43. Knowing his competitive nature, it is difficult to envision him suiting up if not to fight for another championship. It is asking a whole lot of a team to construct a Super Bowl-caliber roster around a player who has been out of the league for five years, though. Brady may be better suited to take on a short-term bridge role while a lowly team waits to draft its next franchise quarterback. But, frankly, that seems unlikely to motivate Brady to give up his new day jobs.
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