Tom Brady Rumors: Bucs Believe QB Would Play for TB If He Came out of Retirement

It remains to be seen whether Tom Brady will stay retired into the 2022 season, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reportedly believe he at least will not suit up for a different team.

Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times appeared on The Rich Eisen Show and said, "If he wants to play, they believe he would play here because at 45, does he really want to go to another team, learn a new offense, new players, all of that?"

Stroud also said he believes the all-time great will remain retired even though the door isn't closed on a comeback.

The Brady speculation started shortly after he retired, and he didn't exactly help quiet it when he said on his Let's Go! podcast (h/t Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times) that "You never say never" even while adding "I feel very good about my decision."

He then addressed those comments in a future podcast (h/t Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk) and said, "I'm super content and happy with how I feel in my decision. All you can do is take it day by day; nothing's promised for us. I'm gonna do things I really enjoy and spend time with people that I really enjoy spending time with. So the future is bright."

While Brady is spending time with people away from the game, there is still some belief he will take the field in 2022.

After all, Florio reported: "There's a definite and palpable sense that he will play again; some in league circles already believe he could be back by July. Of this year."

Still, Brady has wasted little time occupying himself outside of football considering Borys Kit of the Hollywood Reporter reported he will produce and appear in the movie 80 for Brady. The movie features Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Rita Moreno and Sally Field.

Between movies and spending time with his family, Brady may not come back to football. He will be 45 next season, although age wasn't much of a factor when he led the NFL with 5,316 passing yards and 43 touchdown passes during the 2021 campaign.

But if he does, the Buccaneers will apparently be waiting for him.