ESPN Reports it is ‘Far From a Given’ Tom Brady Will Return for Next Season

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Tom Brady is just three wins away from a remarkable eighth Super Bowl title. But a new report out Sunday says that, win or lose, his legendary career could be coming to a close.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington, it is “far from a given” that the 44-year-old Brady will return for a 23rd NFL season this fall. Schefter and Darlington report that Brady will take “a month or longer” after the season to weigh his options, adding that his family’s wishes will play a role in the decision — along with how he feels physically and mentally.

Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now the favorites to reach the Super Bowl out of the NFC after San Francisco upset top seed Green Bay on Saturday night. The Bucs face the L.A. Rams at home on Sunday. According to Schefter and Darlington, another Lombardi trophy might make it more likely that Brady would call it quits at season’s end.

From the report:

For Brady, who has one year remaining on his contract, the decision is likely to be situational: how Tampa Bay finishes this season, and how the three-time league MVP feels when the season concludes. Some sources believe that if the Buccaneers repeat as Super Bowl champions, it would increase the likelihood that Brady could walk away from the game.