Brady, arguably the greatest football player of all time, announced his retirement following the conclusion of the NFL season earlier this year.
But just 40 days after hanging up his cleats, the legendary quarterback declared this week he was coming out of retirement and returning to play his 23rd season in the NFL.
Brady posted a statement on social media this week that said, in part: “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’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business.”
The last two words of his statement are particularly intriguing: “unfinished business”.
It sounds strange coming from a player who has already achieved just about everything possible in the sport.
I mean, what exactly is there left for him to accomplish?
Brady has won seven Super Bowls, the most of any player in NFL history, he is a five-time Super Bowl MVP, a three-time league MVP and 15-time Pro Bowler.
He holds just about every NFL passing record including most quarterback wins (243), most career passing touchdowns (624), most career passing yards (84,520) and most career passing completions (7263), just to name a few.
Maybe “unfinished business” is a reference to how his season ended earlier this year.
His Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost in the play-offs to eventual Super Bowl champions the Los Angeles Rams, so maybe Brady is hoping to go out on top with another Super Bowl win this season.
History suggests this could very well happen — over the last nine years Brady has backed up a play-off loss the season prior by winning the Super Bowl the following year, a trend that could continue this season.
His announcement has already seen the Buccaneers jump back into the conversation of Super Bowl favourites for next season.
While Brady already boasts a gluttony of NFL records, there are still a few that he is yet to claim.
At 44 years of age, Brady is by far the oldest current player in the NFL, and he will have turned 45 by the time the season kicks off again later this year.
However, he isn’t the oldest player in NFL history. That title belongs to former kicker and quarterback George Blanda who retired at the age of 48 after a record 26 seasons in the NFL.
Brady is also 32 games shy of the record for most NFL games played (including play-offs). Former kicker Adam Vinatieri played 397 games across his 24-year career, while Brady has played 365.
With Brady only able to play a maximum of 21 games this season, he would have to play a 24th season to reach that feat.
Maybe that’s it, or maybe Brady is feeling the pinch of rising fuel prices like the rest of us.
Whatever his reason for returning, Brady is extending what has, in my opinion, been the greatest playing career the NFL has ever seen.
Love him or hate him, sports fans should relish the chance to watch him play while they still can.
However, one unlucky person is likely to be feeling less enthusiastic about Brady’s retirement backflip.
The last career touchdown pass Brady threw sold at auction for $US518,000 ($A712,000), only for Brady to announce his comeback the very next day, theoretically wiping away the ball’s value. Talk about bad luck.