National Football League

Is Tom Brady considering retirement following this NFL season?

Updated Jan. 17, 2023 11:09 a.m. ET

The idea of Tom Brady's playing days coming to an end is one that's difficult to conceptualize.

The 44-year-old Brady is older than four of the seven opposing head coaches remaining in this year's NFL postseason. If that isn't enough, Brady also has more playoff games under his belt than all of the quarterbacks in this year's playoffs combined.

As one of the undisputed front-runners for the league's MVP award, Brady has certainly not seen a decline in his performance on the gridiron.

Nonetheless, the retirement decision is entirely Brady's to make, and sometimes when it comes to life-altering choices of that sort, playing ability is the last thing that factors into the final choice.

Although he has made no mention of calling it quits following this campaign, some analysts believe this could be Brady's last season as an NFL quarterback. Which means that if he loses this weekend, Sunday would be his final NFL game.

Chris Broussard believes it could be a real possibility.

"I do think Brady would like to sit back this offseason and see what they do next year," Broussard said Wednesday on "First Things First." "At this stage, there's no way Tom Brady is coming back to play unless he fully believes ‘we can win another Super Bowl.'

"I think he will be back. This is speculation. There aren't rumblings around the league. They're just throwing it out there. But Brady has always said, ‘I want to play until I stink.’ Clearly, he doesn't stink. He led the league in most categories for quarterbacks this year and had one of his best statistical seasons ever.

"He has said, ‘I only want to play as long as I believe I can lead a team to great heights.’ He's still in that condition. He has always set out the [age of 45]. That would be playing next year. Not to mention, he's under contract for next year. Even if they lose Sunday, he would go out on top."

Kevin Wildes doesn't think the idea of Brady retiring is unrealistic, either.

"Seth Wickersham's book does a great job outlining the sacrifice that everyone around Brady has to make to allow him to be great, and that feels like a tax on your overall life," Wildes said.

"I know that from the sports media perspective, a lot of times, our analysis is strictly between the lines. But the book does a good job of [discussing] the sacrifice it takes — they call it Tom time vs. family time. There are stories in the book where rather than spending time with your family, you have to crush tape, and that takes a toll on you.

"I wouldn't be surprised if he decided, 'You know what? This chapter of my career is over. I’ve got several documentaries in production, I just released my clothing brand, I've got my whole TB12 empire.' He still has a rich and fulfilling life outside of football."

In Nick Wright's mind, Brady's greatness is so evident there is already nothing left for him to accomplish on the gridiron. For Wright, that's reason enough to ride off into the sunset.

"The question of Brady vs. Belichick is no longer a question," he stated.

"He answered that year one [in Tampa]. ‘Oh, there's a hot, new, young kid on my corner named Patrick Mahomes. What if I played his team in the Super Bowl, and he was bad, and I was great? Will that dead that conversation for at least 20 years?' Check that one off. ‘What if I prove the TB12 method works inarguably? What do the other older quarterbacks look like at the end? Well, Brees lost to me, melting down. Big Ben's final entire last season was sad. He's a half-decade younger than me.' Check that box off.

"Even if they don't win the Super Bowl, he's going out on top. There's an element of, if he were to come back for his age-45 season and be average, there would be the memory of Brady being not Brady. If he were to leave this year, there's no memory of him ever being bad."

Nick Wright on Tom Brady retirement rumors: 'He has proven everything he had to prove' I FIRST THINGS FIRST

Nick Wright discusses whether he believes Tom Brady is finally ready to hang up his jersey.

As the saying goes, Brady has gotten better with age. This season, the future Hall of Famer completed 485 of his 719 pass attempts for 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns. He led the NFL in passing yards, passing touchdowns and total completions.

He followed his starry regular-season showing with 271 yards and two TDs in the Bucs' 31-15 win over Philadelphia.

The Bucs will take on the Los Angeles Rams at 3 p.m. ET Sunday on NBC.

Could it be the last time we see Brady under center?