Tom Brady's Cryptic Photo Reportedly Is for Super Bowl 54 Commercial

The mystery of Tom Brady's cryptic photograph on social media earlier this week has reportedly been solved. 

Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport, the picture was a tease for an ad that will run on Fox during Super Bowl 54. 

It's unclear what the ad will be for, though Brady has a number of endorsement deals with companies like Aston Martin, Tag Heuer, Under Armour and Sam Adams. 

The photograph led to heavy speculation Brady was either suggesting he was leaving the New England Patriots as a free agent or retiring from the NFL. 

New York Jets safety Jamal Adams jokingly told Brady to "please leave the AFC East!"

"Us trying to work out if Tom Brady's post means he's retiring, leaving, or staying in New England," Pro Football Focus tweeted. 

Despite the confusion over what the image meant, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported it wasn't related to Brady's future in the NFL. 

Four days after the Patriots were eliminated from the postseason by the Tennessee Titans on Jan. 4, Brady wrote a message on Instagram seeming to imply he will play in 2020: "You dont always win. You can, however, learn from that failure, pick yourself up with great enthusiasm, and place yourself in the arena again. And that’s right where you will find me. Because I know I still have more to prove."

Brady is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time this offseason. The 42-year-old has spent his entire 20-year career with the Patriots and threw for 4,057 yards with 24 touchdowns in 2019.