Tom Brady is well into retirement, having traded in his helmet and pads for a broadcasting mic and a minority ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders. However, former NFL MVP quarterback and current “The NFL Today” CBS Sports analyst Matt Ryan says Brady could still play — if he really wanted to.
“I think he could,” Ryan said on the Dan Patrick Show. “I mean, I think the way he takes care of himself, he looks more fit now than he’s ever been. And I think the style with which he played leads to being able to play longer. Not moving around, not having to run and do all those different things. Because he can still throw it, he could still spin it at the end.”
Brady officially announced his retirement in February 2023 after 23 NFL seasons, winning seven Super Bowls and earning three league MVP awards. He spent 20 of those seasons with the New England Patriots, where he won six titles and became the most decorated quarterback in NFL history. Brady remained remarkably effective well into his 40s, leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns at age 44 in his second season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and showing few signs of decline even in his final campaign. He posted new career highs in both attempts and completions in his last two years in the NFL.
Much of his longevity has been credited to the TB12 Method, Brady’s unique and often unconventional training philosophy focused on pliability, functional strength and recovery. While skeptics once questioned its effectiveness, the results spoke for themselves — keeping Brady not just on the field, but thriving, long after most quarterbacks of his era had hung it up.
In September 2021, Brady addressed the possibility of playing until he was 50 during an episode of Tommy & Gronky, a video series he co-hosted with then-teammate Rob Gronkowski.
“Wow, seems to be a really hot question lately,” Brady responded. “‘Can Tom Brady play till 50?’ Like, 50 years old. I don’t find it so difficult, and plus living in Florida it’s kind of a retiree state. I feel like I can just play and glide into retirement. I think I can, I think it’s a yes.”
Ultimately, he chose to walk away at 45, but not necessarily because his arm or preparation had failed him. By all accounts, Brady left the game still capable of playing but finally ready to let go.
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Author: Cody Nagel
July 11, 2025 | 12:40 pm
