If folks didn't believe the cat, maybe they'll believe the congrats.
Future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady has already made efforts to shut down the persistent rumors of a potential return to an NFL team in 2023 following his recent re-retirement ... though he did so in a way both coy and cryptic by mentioning he's simply too busy now that his daughter has a kitten.
But now he's back at it again, sending a message within a message on social media by congratulating former New England Patriots safety Devin McCourty, his old teammate, on the latter's retirement.
"New England legend. You outlasted me by a month!,” Brady wrote on his Instagram story while sharing a photo of him and McCourty in their days as Patriots teammates. “Congrats on the well-deserved retirement”
McCourty is indeed an all-timer in New England, having spent his entire career with the Patriots after having been selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. McCourty, now 35, closed up his fine career with a total of 971 tackles, three sacks, seven fumble recoveries and 35 interceptions.
And of course, perennial Super Bowl contention, in no small part due to the presence of Brady.
McCourty spent 10 of his 13 seasons as Brady's teammate in Foxboro before the quarterback famously left here for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers via free agency after the 2019 season. Since then, Brady has involved himself in retirement announcements in each of the last two offseasons, though his 2022 goodbye was short-lived as he did return to play one more season with the Bucs.
And even now that he's made it clear - well, semi-clear - that he's done? The rumors about him making a comeback to play for the Patriots' rivals in Miami persist.
But by essentially congratulating Devin on joining him in retirement, Brady seems to be reinforcing his position.
We think.
More Patriots coverage from Sports Illustrated here.
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