"Never say never" - Tom Brady doesn’t rule out making a return to NFL

When Tom Brady announced his retirement from the NFL, many around the league had hoped or speculated he'd change his mind ahead of the 2022 season. The 44-year-old quarterback is coming off an MVP-caliber season, making people inclined to believe he has more to offer the sport he played and loved for 22 years.

Those fans received disappointing and encouraging news simultaneously from Brady himself in the latest episode of his "Let's Go" podcast. Tom Brady told his podcast co-host Jim Gray that you can "never say never."

However, he immediately added that he feels good about his decision.

“You never say never,” Brady told co-host Jim Gray on his Let’s Go! podcast Monday. “At the same time, I know that ... I feel very good about my decision.”

Tom Brady saying "never say never" immediately caused a stir on social media. Brady's very intelligent, and knowing this, he made sure to add more details to quiet the talk of him coming out of retirement.

He admitted he's not looking to reverse his decision. Although he could feel differently six months from now, Brady is excited about his future outside of playing in the NFL.

“I don’t know how I’ll feel six months from now,” Brady said. “It could change, it most likely won’t. I try to make the best possible decision I can in the moment, which I did this last week. And again, I think it’s not looking to reverse course; I’m definitely not looking to do that. I think you have to be realistic that you never know what challenges there are going to be in life. Again, I loved playing. I’m looking forward to doing things other than playing. That’s as honest as I can be with you, Jim.”

Tom Brady returning in 2022 would be quite a surprise

If Tom Brady were to come out of retirement, the reaction would be equivalent to the level of Muhammed Ali and Michael Jordan coming out of retirement.

Brady retired at the top of his game. He threw for a career-high 5,316 passing yards and led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. Although the Buccaneers came up short, Brady led an all-time comeback against the Los Angeles Rams, tying the game after being down 27-3.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion doesn't have anything left to prove as his resume is impeccable.

Whether Tom Brady returns to the gridiron in 2022 is a question people will raise over the next six months. Until the regular season begins, there's always going to be a looming possibility of him returning.

For now, Brady plans on enjoying the other fruits of life. With his "TB12" brand taking off, Brady has no shortage of income or projects to keep him busy in the next chapter of his life.