Tom Brady Told Jim Gray He Will Play 2018 Season Despite Retirement Rumors

While the comments came back in February, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady told broadcaster Jim Gray he will play during the 2018 NFL season.

"I asked him a question on the air. ... I said, 'Regardless of the outcome are you going to return and play football next year?'" Gray said, per TMZ Sports. "And he said, 'You WILL see me playing football in 2018.'"

The TMZ report noted Brady and Gray "have been friends for years."

This comes with the context of the report from ESPN's Adam Schefter, which said Brady hasn't fully committed to coming back "even though people who know him believed he will be back for the coming season."

According to Schefter, Brady still wants to play football but is also balancing a desire to spend additional time with his family. There are also some around him who would like to see him retire.

Although Schefter noted Brady isn't expected to take part in much or any of New England's offseason program, Michael Giardi of NBC Sports Boston cited multiple Patriots who said the quarterback hasn't mentioned he was retiring during offseason discussions.

Losing Brady would clearly be a significant blow for the Patriots. The absence would be felt even more after they traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers last year, leaving them with just Brian Hoyer behind No. 12.

Brady is a five-time Super Bowl champion, three-time league MVP, 13-time Pro Bowler and shows few signs of slowing even though he turns 41 years old this year.

He threw for 4,557 yards, 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2017 and has been to three of the last four Super Bowls.