Well, that didn’t take long.
Less than six weeks after announcing his retirement from the NFL, Tom Brady is back.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback announced on Twitter Sunday evening that he is coming out of retirement and will play for Tampa Bay.
“These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” Brady tweeted. “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.”
These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. 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 pic.twitter.com/U0yhRKVKVm
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) March 13, 2022
The announcement comes after weeks of speculation — egged on by the quarterback in podcast interviews and on social media — that Brady would not stay retired long. He originally announced his retirement from the NFL on Feb. 1, saying that he could no longer give the “commitment” he believes is required anymore.
“I have always believed the sport of football is an ‘all-in’ proposition — if a 100% competitive commitment isn’t there, you won’t succeed, and success is what I love so much about our game,” Brady wrote on Instagram in February.
“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”
His post on Sunday saying he’s returning to Tampa Bay could also quell the rumors that he is lobbying to play somewhere else in 2022, such as his hometown San Francisco.
The Buccaneers welcomed Brady back with open arms Sunday night.
“Tom Brady loves to play football as much as anyone I’ve ever been around,” Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians said in a statement. “As Tom said, 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. We are ecstatic that he decided to continue playing and working toward winning another championship.”
• Jacob Calvin Meyer can be reached at jmeyer@washingtontimes.com.
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