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Tom Brady, of course, is back in the NFL after unretiring earlier this year. That said, at the time, many felt Tom Brady's retirement was too abrupt. In an era of rumors, leaks, and farewell tours, Brady's decision to simply drop a post on social media left fans and analysts flabbergasted. However, one analyst gave his theory as to what the quarterback was thinking and why he ended it the way he did.
Speaking on the Rich Eisen Show, NFL reporter Jeff Darlington explained his theory as to why the quarterback essentially chose to slip out the backdoor:
“I think he knows that. You know, I think he'd prefer and again, I don't want to put words in his mouth ... It's just more what I've gathered over the past year ... is that he'd love to not talk about it at all and do exactly what he did this year. I know it's such a naïve thought at this point, years into this, but he truly ... I think he hates this part of it."
He continued, saying the quarterback essentially just wanted to get it over with:
"And it's part of the reason he retired ... was that it was like ‘I just don't want to.’ And by the way, it's part of the reason, when he did retire, he did it through an Instagram post. He wasn't trying to make a big deal about even the day that he retired. Because I think people, as much as they think that he is so polished in every regard, and he is."
The reporter wrapped up his theory by saying the quarterback was more concerned with playing football:
"The thing that he still cares the most about is just playing football. And when he was ready to call it a career, he was ready to just say, 'I'm done,' until he wasn’t.”
Tom Brady's retirement plan
Unlike other retired quarterbacks, Tom Brady's plan wasn't to fall off the face of the earth. Soon after retiring, rumors and reports swirled that the quarterback had planned to quickly become a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins. However, the plans fell apart after Brian Flores sued the team for discrimination in its hiring practices.
Once the quarterback's plans fell apart, he didn't want to sit around and figure out his next move. He wanted to keep busy. Considering the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still had a vacancy at quarterback, Brady slipped right back into his old spot. However, soon after his return, the team lost another big piece.
Head coach Bruce Arians retired from coaching, moving Todd Bowles from defensive coordinator to become the new head coach. Another piece toying with retirement is tight end Rob Gronkowski. Put simply, the team of 2022 will be different than the team of 2021, even with Brady's return.
