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- Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians was once again asked about the potential return of quarterback Tom Brady
- Bruce Arians was pretty dismissive about the chances of a return but did discuss the possibility of the Bucs releasing or trading Tom Brady should he return
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At some point in the next six months, I fully expect a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization to lose it on a reporter for asking about Tom Brady coming out of retirement for the umpteenth time. But today is not that day.
Bucs head coach Bruce Arians was testy by cordial when he was once again asked about scenarios involving Tom Brady coming out of retirement. Rick Stroud is a Bucs reporter for the Tampa Bay Times and he’s been at the very center of all the Bucs-Brady news for years now. On Tuesday, he started tweeting snippets of a discussion with Brady.
Bruce Arians Shares What It Would Take For The Bucs To Deal Tom Brady To Another Team
Right out of the gate Bruce Arians said the team wouldn’t accommodate an easy trade if Tom came out of retirement and asked to be traded the San Francisco 49ers. The Bucs have been operating under the assumption that if Brady returns it will be with Tampa Bay and not opt to learn a new team’s offense at 45-years-old.
Arians was asked if Tom Brady wanted to come back with another team, would he accommodate him. “Nope. Bad business.”
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 1, 2022
Okay, okay, the Bucs wouldn’t make it easy but would they ever let Tom go??
When pressed further, Bruce Arians shared what it would take for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to trade Tom Brady, the greatest NFL player in history, to another team should he decide to come out of retirement. Bruce’s answer was simple: more NFL Draft picks than anyone could ever realistically offer.
Bruce Arians was asked about trading Brady and what it would take. “Five No. 1’s.”
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 1, 2022
Is There Any Realistic Chance Tom Brady Returns To the NFL?
Bucs head coach Bruce Arians keeps answering questions about a hypothetical Brady return despite clearly not thinking there’s any shot that Tom makes a comeback. Tom Brady is retired, he’s onto his next chapter, and he’s enjoying himself. But the reporters keep asking so Arians keeps answering…
#Bucs coach Bruce Arians on whether he thinks Tom Brady will come out of retirement. "He slammed it shut when I talked to him. I think like a lot of these guys, he likes to have his name out there,’’ Arians said.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 1, 2022
“Whenever Tom wants to come back, he’s back “ Bruce Arians said. Says they would make it happened. Preciously he said he doesn’t think that will happen however.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 1, 2022
Tampa Bay’s GM Jason Licht echoed the same sentiment as Bruce Arians:
Bucs GM Jason Licht: “With a Tom Brady, I don’t think you ever close the door…if a Tom Brady wants to come back…I made a remark this morning I would leave the light on for him.”
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) March 1, 2022
I suspect it will take all of next season, the following off-season, and a game or two into the 2023 NFL Season before football fans will truly begin to accept that Tom Brady is officially retired. Rumors of Brady coming back for one last hurrah will always be around because he’s an ageless wonder. The dude will be on the podium at Canton accepting his gold jacket to the Football Hall of Fame and they’ll be cracking jokes about him making a return. It’s just not going to happen. Not this offseason, not next season, and not the season after that… But maybe it’ll happen the season after that…