Tom Brady keeps talking retirement.
But it doesn’t look like he’s coming back.
In a year-end post from the seven-time Super Bowl-winning former quarterback, Brady, 46, says he was going to unretire from the NFL prior to partaking in a retirement party.
“The only downside to 2023 was when I was about to unretire in May and my friends threw a surprise retirement party. Kind of forced my hand,” Brady wrote Sunday on his official Instagram.
“Looking back on 2023 grateful for every moment,” the post read initially. “Cherishing the highs, learning from the lows, and looking forward to what’s coming next. I’m blessed to have family and friends filled with so much love, joy, and compassion surrounding me. As you get older, you realize that this is really the only thing that matters, and I’ll never take these people for granted. Hug your kids, call your parents, tell your friends that you love them, and let’s all help make 2024 a kinder and happier year for everyone in our lives.”
Brady, of course, last played in the NFL during the 2022 season as part of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad that was eliminated in the wild-card round of the playoffs to the Dallas Cowboys.
Brady, who won a Super Bowl in his first season with the Bucs in February 2021 after winning six rings with the Patriots, threw for 4,694 yards, 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2022 in what was his final NFL season.
He initially retired in early 2022 but ended his retirement after just 40 days.
Brady then retired for good in February and has stuck to his promise.
Brady retired with numerous all-time records, including championships won (seven), passing yards (89,214), total passing yards, including regular season and playoffs (102,614), passing touchdowns (649), playoff wins (35) and many others.
Brady agreed to a deal with Raiders owner Mark Davis on purchasing a minority stake in the franchise, though the NFL has yet to approve it.
That led to speculation that Brady was interested in playing for the Raiders, who will reportedly take Brady’s input on their search for a new head coach.
Brady will be Hall of Fame eligible in 2028.