Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback Tom Brady is set to play in yet another Super Bowl, the 10th of his career and first with the Bucs, all at the age of 43. But it doesn’t sound like Brady is looking to end his career anytime soon.
In fact, Brady said he would consider playing until he was 45 years old.
“Definitely. I’d definitely consider that,” Brady said, according to ESPN’s Jenna Laine. “It’s a physical sport. Just the perspective I have on that is you never know when that moment is. Just because it’s a contact sport. There’s a lot of training that goes into it. And it has to be 100% commitment from myself to keep doing it.”
“I think I’ll know when it’s time,” Brady continued. “I don’t know when that time will come. But I think I’ll know. And I’ll understand that I gave everything I could to give to this game. You put a lot into it. I don’t think I could ever go at this game half-ass. I’ve gotta put everything into it. When I put it all out there, [when] I feel like I can’t do it anymore, I don’t feel like I can commit to the team in the way that the team needs me, then I think that’s when it’s probably time to walk away.”
Now with a chance to capture another Lombardi Trophy, Brady is looking back on his journey in awe.
“I could never have imagined it would be like this. I don’t think anybody could have,” Brady said. “[I’ve] tried to go play my ass off every week. I’m still trying to do it. This work for me has never been about — I would have thought that success is passing yards or touchdowns or Super Bowls — it was always maximizing my potential, being the best I could be.”
“When I showed up as a freshman in high school, I didn’t know how to put pads in my pants. I was just hoping to play high school football because I wanted to be like Joe Montana and Steve Young. And then when I got a chance in college, I just wanted to play at Michigan. When I got drafted by the Patriots, I just wanted to play, I just wanted to start. It’s just been a series of steps like that of trying to be a little better every year, trying to learn a little more every year, trying to grow and evolve in different areas.
“My life has taken certainly a lot of different directions,” Brady said. “I’m obviously older now. I’ve got a family. A lot of incredible blessings in my life. Fast-forward 21 years, sitting in Tampa and trying to win a Super Bowl in our own home stadium would be pretty sweet.”
While he is now with the Bucs and playing for head coach Bruce Arians, Brady looks back fondly at his tenure with the New England Patriots and playing under head coach Bill Belichick.
“I have a great relationship with him,” Brady said. “I’m just incredibly grateful for what he’s meant in my life as a coach. He was everything you could ask for as a player. I loved my time [there]. I had two incredible decades there. My football journey took me to a different place, and I certainly could have never accomplished the things in my career without his support and his teachings. Incredible coach and mentor for me. I’ve had a lot of those in my career, but obviously he’s at the top of the list.”
