It was on September 5, 2018 when he said it. The vast majority, if not all, thought it was crazy. Tom Brady said, in the last episode of his documentary “Tom vs Time”, that he wanted to play until he was 45 years old. Today August 3, 2022 he has reached that age and is ready to play
MEXICO — It was September 5, 2018 when he said it. The vast majority, if not all, thought it was crazy. Tom Brady said, in the last episode of his documentary “Tom vs Time”, that he wanted to play until he was 45 years old. Today, August 3, 2022, he has reached that age and is ready to play his 23rd season in the NFL. Seeing is believing.
Clearly, Brady had that number very clear in his mind. It wasn’t a random figure he came up with on the spot, or a joke like those he used to with Rob Gronkowski. The challenge for himself was to play until he was 45, and it wasn’t based on how many Super Bowls he could win. In fact, he added two more championship rings to his resume after that confession, one of them with a team other than the New England Patriots.
There was something that was about to make him change. He has not said it openly, but I dare to think it was his family. She barely lasted 41 days in retirement when she announced that she would be back for… one more season? Who knows. I’m writing this today as a joke, but at this rate he’ll end up facing Arch Manning, Archie’s grandson, who will be playing his first season with the Texas Longhorns. Seriously, I don’t think it will happen.
I can imagine the thoughts that ran through Brady’s mind during his 41 days in retirement: “Why leave if I can stay competitive?” This data is overwhelming. In the 2021 season he threw for more yards (5,316) and more touchdown passes (43) than Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or Aaron Rodgers, the Most Valuable Player of the last two seasons. He reached the playoffs and in a game at the limit was defeated by the Rams in the run-up to the NFC final.
The window of opportunity to be champions remains for the Buccaneers, who, according to Las Vegas, have the highest probability of reaching the Super Bowl by the NFC. This is the most amazing part. At 45 he still has the rope to be a champion. Other quarterbacks after 40 didn’t have that opportunity: Vinny Testaverde, Mark Brunell, Steve DeBerg, Doug Flutie, Warren Moon or Brett Favre himself. Perhaps the only exception had been Drew Brees.
The world of sports gives us current examples of durability after 35 years at a high level. Messi, Ronaldo, Rodgers, Lebron, Nadal, etc. I get that the nature of the quarterback position helps Brady, but 45 sucks! What in September 2018 seemed impossible, has happened today.
