Patriots' Tom Brady Posts Cryptic Photo amid Free Agency, Retirement Rumors

The offseason of Tom Brady has officially begun in earnest.

New England's impending free-agent quarterback had social media in detective mode Thursday evening with a cryptic tweet featuring a picture of him in a tunnel walking toward (or away from?) a football field. 

Does it signal the end of Brady's career? Does it mean he's leaving the Patriots? Is it just part of a Super Bowl ad? Did Brady just like the way his silhouette looked in the black-and-white photo?

All possible answers are on the table, and Twitter will not rest until its sleuths have explored every angle here. New York Jets defensive back Jamal Adams was among the curious, and if Adams has it his way, the longtime Patriots star will finally leave the AFC East.

However, Brady's tweet is apparently not foretelling of his future on the football field, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

As much as the retirement talk has picked up recently, Brady has indicated he wants to keep playing. Patriots owner Robert Kraft, meanwhile, has maintained he'd like Brady to remain with New England or retire and has shown a willingness to re-sign the 20-year veteran. 

The only thing that's clear about Brady's plans at the moment is that he's trying to break the internet until a decision is made.