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The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Your School. Your Paper. Since 1936.

The Suffolk Journal

Brady announces return to football after 40-day retirement

Tom+Brady+in+the+Patriots+2019+Super+Bowl+victory+parade
Hannah Arroyo
Tom Brady in the Patriots 2019 Super Bowl victory parade

Forty days after announcing his retirement from the NFL, Tom Brady posted a statement saying he would be returning to football.

The 43-year-old quarterback will be playing the third year of his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after playing the first 22 seasons with the New England Patriots.

Brady broke the news over social media Sunday night.

“These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” said Brady. “That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG.”

“Tom Brady loves playing football as much as anyone I have ever been around,” Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians said in a statement. “His place right now is on the football field. He is still playing at a championship level and was as productive as anyone in the league last season. 

Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht shared in his statement that they left the door open for Brady to reconsider. 

“Bruce and I had plenty of conversations with Tom recently that led us believe there was a realistic chance he would come back,” said Licht.

Brady’s return gave a jolt to the football world, less than two months of Brady-free football news. 

Major sportsbooks were forced to temporarily stop betting on NFC Futures, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Caesars Sportsbooks had the Buccaneers at 20 to 1 odds to win Super Bowl 57 earlier today. With Tom Brady under center again, their odds are at 10 to 1. Their odds of being NFC champions also were cut in half from 10-1 to 5-1.

“All my takes on Brady being retired and all that stuff [are] completely out the door,” said former teammate Julian Edelman. “I have no clue what he’s doing ever, so if anyone has questions don’t ask me cause my guy is back for 23.”

Perhaps the most confused individual currently is the man who bought Brady’s final touchdown pass for 518,000 less than 24 hours before Brady announced his return to the game. Brady threw the ball to Mike Evans during the fourth quarter of their playoff elimination against the Los Angeles Rams.

Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who was covering Evans on that touchdown pass, expressed his excitement about the news on Twitter. 

“THANK YOU,” Ramsey said. “Throw that last touchdown on somebody else.”

The Buccaneers will try to win their second Super Bowl with Brady at the helm after he led them to their second championship in franchise history during the 2020 season.

“We are ecstatic that he decided to continue playing and working toward winning another championship,” Arians said.

Brady’s announcement comes before the start of the new league year on Wednesday, meaning his short lived “retirement” was never actually processed. With this news, the Buccaneers will look to keep their Super-Bowl caliber offense together; with players like Rob Gronkowski and Leonard Fournette becoming unrestricted free agents this offseason.

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About the Contributors
JD Conte, Sports Editor | he/him
JD is a senior from Wallingford, Conn. double majoring in political science and broadcast journalism. Aside from writing for the journal, JD can often be found in Studio 73 working on his broadcast skills. Off-campus JD can be found watching all the Boston and UCONN sports teams. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends in various spots around the city, especially in East Boston and the North End. After graduation JD hopes to work in a newsroom full-time or pursue a career in the sports industry. Follow JD on Twitter @jdconte617 Email him at [email protected]
Nick Frieburger, Sports Editor | he/him
Nick is a senior journalism major at Suffolk University and is originally from Kingston, Mass. He is extremely passionate about Boston sports but has a specific love for the Celtics. His biggest claim to fame is watching every Celtics game since 2012. In his free time, he can be found relaxing and watching basketball or football while listening to music.
Follow Nick on Twitter @NFrieburger
Jamie Taris, Managing Editor | he/him
Jamie is a senior broadcast journalism major and public relations minor from Pelham, New Hampshire. He has a deep passion for sports, especially hockey and football, and hopes to make his way into the sports media field after graduation. Outside of the Journal, Jamie is a sports intern at WHDH and is involved with Suffolk's orientation department. When he's not obsessing over the latest sports news, you can usually find Jamie hiking or camping in the White Mountains, or exploring the city with his friends. Follow Jamie on X @JamieTaris
Hannah Arroyo, Sports Editor | she/her
Hannah Arroyo is a junior, the Sports Editor, and a Broadcast Journalism major who hopes to work in sports media someday. She passionately follows New England sports and can often be found exploring new spots in Boston. She enjoys going to Fenway Park, searching antique stores and pranking her friends. By writing for The Journal, she hopes to improve her journalism skills and eventually explore writing stories that differ from sports.
Follow Hannah on Twitter @arroyo_hannah

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Brady announces return to football after 40-day retirement