After a retirement that lasted 40 days earlier this year, Tom Brady opted to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2022 season.
While the campaign hasn’t gone quite to plan—per DraftKings Sportsbook, the club has only the 10th-best Super Bowl odds and isn’t even a lock to win the abysmal NFC South after opening the year as the conference favorites—there is a chance the future Hall of Famer decides to run it back, regardless of how his club finishes this year.
According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, sources close to Brady revealed that “all options are on the table” when it comes to his plans for next season.
The superstar quarterback is currently playing out the final season of a two-year, $50 million deal he signed with the Buccaneers in 2020. Once the season is finished, Brady will potentially hit free agency for only the second time in his illustrious 23-year career.
While retirement will again be an appealing option—Brady had previously admitted envisioning hanging up his cleats at the age of 45—there appears to be a real chance that the G.O.A.T.’s legacy carries into 2023 and even beyond.
If Brady does elect to keep going into his age 46 campaign, there will be no shortage of teams interested in his services.
However, the seven-time Super Bowl winner will almost certainly desire a strong chance of contending for a record-extending title during what would likely be his final stop in the league, narrowing down the list of viable landing spots significantly.
With that in mind, here are some teams Brady could realistically wind up with in 2023:
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers can offer Brady something no other organization is able to: the chance to play for his hometown team.
Brady grew up in nearby San Mateo, California, and attended games at Candlestick Park during his youth. He was a fan of Joe Montana and watched as the legendary quarterback led the Niners to four championships between 1982 and 1990.
During his recent return to the Bay Area, where his Buccaneers suffered a disappointing 35-7 defeat, Brady told FOX’s Erin Andrews that he requested 100 tickets for friends and family. He also spoke after the game about what it meant to be able to play in front of them (via CNN’s Jacob Lev):
“Love having everyone here. Nice for my family to come close. I think they had a lot of people from the neighborhood come. It’s not going to change the outcome of the game, unfortunately.”
Brady reportedly desired to sign with his hometown team before choosing the Buccaneers in 2020 and has watched the 49ers consistently contend under head coach Kyle Shanahan despite the team’s issues under center and injury problems.
Prior to their head-to-head meeting, Shanahan spoke about how Brady hasn’t shown any signs of decline and the high level he continues to play at (via FoxNews.com’s Chantz Martin):
“He plays the position better than anyone ever, and he’s definitely the GOAT from what I’ve seen, but I don’t say that just because he has won Super Bowls.”
Given the 49ers’ quarterback woes this season, Brady should be welcomed with open arms if he wanted to ply his trade there next year. San Francisco is currently starting Brock Purdy, the Mr. Irrelevant of the 2022 draft, after both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo—Brady’s former backup—went down with injuries.