Tom Brady announced his return to the NFL Sunday night on social media to his 19 million followers across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
“These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” Brady wrote. “That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG.”
The move comes less than six weeks after Brady retired from the NFL following a season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in which he led the NFL in yards passing (5,316), touchdowns (43) and completions (485) at age 44. It also comes days before free agency begins, with several of Brady’s Tampa teammates facing decisions about where to sign.
Brady spent Saturday at Old Trafford with his two sons watching Manchester United, which like the Bucs is owned by the Glazer family, defeat Tottenham Hotspur behind a hat trick from Cristiano Ronaldo. Brady posted on Instagram an interaction on the field with the global soccer icon where Ronaldo asks, “You’re finished, right?”
Brady is under contract with the Bucs for the 2022 season under a base salary of $8.9 million, although Tampa could do a new deal for the QB, who has been a cash cow for the club since he joined in 2020 and led to a Super Bowl title. Tampa ranks No. 25 in Sportico’s NFL team valuations at $2.8 billion, up 22% over the previous year.
Brady has earned $475 million during his career on and off the field, including an NFL-record $293 million in playing salary and bonuses and an estimated $180 million from sponsors, royalties, appearances and memorabilia. Current endorsement partners include Under Armour, T-Mobile, FTX, Subway, IWC, Christopher Cloos and Hertz. He also co-founded the NFT platform Autograph, has an eponymous active and casualwear apparel brand, and his longtime TB12 business.
