Buccaneers’ QB Tom Brady thanked members of the press for their “effort” this year and said he was “very grateful” for everyone’s support as speculation mounts about his NFL future.
Following Monday Night’s playoff loss by Tampa Bay — where the Bucs fell to the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 — the 45-year-old QB spoke to the media about the game and said he knew that in that moment, the better team on the field had won. He also made some comments that have many thinking that if it was not his last game in the league, it quite possibly could have been his last one wearing a Bucs jersey.
“Not the way we wanted to end it, but we didn’t deserve it,” Brady shared. “I give them a lot of credit. They played a good game. Made a lot more plays than we did, so a tough night.”
WATCH:
Here's the video of how Tom Brady ended his press conference tonight: pic.twitter.com/bUHKJgSOmY
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 17, 2023
“I just want to say thank you guys for everything you did this year,” he added. “I really appreciate all your effort. I know it’s hard for you guys. I know it’s hard for us players to make it through. You guys got a tough job, and I appreciate all that you guys do to cover us, and everyone who watches and is a big fan of the sport — we’re very grateful for everyone’s support. You know hopefully, I love this organization. It’s a great place to be.”
“Thank you everybody for welcoming me, all the regulars,” Brady continued, as he sounded like he was getting choked up. “And I’m just very grateful for the respect, and I hope I gave the same thing back to you guys. So thank you very much.”
The 23-year veteran made headlines a year ago when he announced he was finally walking away from the game. But 40 days later he reversed that decision and returned to play with the Bucs for another season, ESPN noted.
The Super Bowl-winning QB finished the year with an average of 9.6 yards per completion, the lowest of his career and second-lowest in the NFL, Yahoo.com noted. His contract will soon expire with a “no-tag” clause, ESPN noted. At the age of 45 he will then become an unrestricted free agent unless the Bucs can re-sign him. Otherwise, he’s free to sign with any team, if he chooses to stay in the league and keep playing.
Related: Tom Brady Apologizes For Comparing Football To Military Deployment