Tom Brady says he explored the potential for popping out of retirement and returning to the NFL, including that the league didn’t “like that idea very much.”
Brady, who final performed in 2022 and is at present a minority proprietor of the Las Vegas Raiders, emphasised in a recent interview with CNBC that he is “very happily retired.”
But the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback additionally acknowledged that he asked the league about its guidelines pertaining to energetic gamers holding possession stakes.
“I actually have inquired, and they don’t like that idea very much,” Brady advised CNBC, which printed an interview excerpt Thursday. “So I’m going to go away it at that.
“We explored a variety of various things, and I’m very fortunately retired. Let me simply say that, too.”
Brady, who turns 49 in August, would need to divest his ownership stake in the Raiders if he were to pursue a comeback as an NFL player, according to league rules.
A league spokesperson told CNBC that there also “could be wage cap points” if an active player owned a stake in a team.
A comeback by Brady would not be without precedent in the NFL. Philip Rivers, 44, temporarily came out retirement last season to start three games at quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts after not playing for over four years.
Brady purchased a 5% share of the Raiders in 2024, alongside Knighthead Capital Management co-founder Tom Wagner (5%) and Raiders Hall of Famer Richard Seymour (0.5%). The former New England Patriots star quarterback told CNBC that he has a “strategic advisory position” with the Raiders.
“I’m a minority proprietor,” he said. “So while you’re that, there’s actually no job description. I haven’t got actually a each day position.”
The topic of an NFL comeback arose during the CNBC interview partly because of Brady’s performance Sunday in the Fanatics Flag Football Classic. Although his team was soundly defeated by Team USA, Brady flashed his trademark passing skills throughout the multigame event.
“I cherished being on the market enjoying within the flag recreation,” Brady said. “I cherished not getting hit. I’ve obtained a variety of actually enjoyable issues I’m concerned in.
“It’s never going to get old throwing passes to incredible athletes on the football field. But if anything, that game reconfirmed to me that I’m very happy in my retirement.”
