Insider insists Tom Brady could sign with 49ers in 2023

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio remains convinced that recently re-retired quarterback Tom Brady would at least consider signing with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent if asked. 

As David Bonilla mentioned on 49ers WebZone, Florio appeared on the KNBR "Murph & Mac" program on Friday to explain why he speculated in late February that Brady could come out of retirement and eventually join the 49ers after he becomes a free agent when the new league year opens on March 15. During the interview, Florio suggested Brady could have second thoughts about his latest retirement by July at the latest. 

"Tom Brady has said in the past, 'I'll retire when I suck,'" Florio remarked. "And he acknowledged on his podcast after he retired that he meant it when he said it, and now he's retiring before he sucks. I'm not ruling out anything with Tom Brady. He wanted to sign with the 49ers in 2020. They said, 'No, thank you.'"

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hinted this past December he regretted not landing Brady before TB12 signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020. Brady grew up a Niners fan in San Mateo, Calif., where his parents still live. 

"But I'm not getting off that horse because I know, dating back to his first foray into free agency three years ago, the 49ers were his first choice," Florio continued. "And I just feel like he's going to believe his career isn't complete until he wears that gold helmet with the 49er logo on it for one season of his career."

Florio isn't alone. 

Fellow NFL insider Michael Silver said earlier this week he thinks the 49ers could reach out to Brady with 2022 rookie sensation Brock Purdy likely sidelined for a minimum of six months due to his upcoming surgery to address the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. As things stand today, unproven 2021 first-round draft pick Trey Lance is set to begin the new league year atop San Francisco's depth chart at the position. 

Meanwhile, the 49ers are coming off back-to-back NFC Championship Game defeats and may be a seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback away from winning a title. 

"I don't think it's anything that happens anytime soon," Florio added about Brady. "I think they leave a light on for him, they go forward with the guys they have, maybe they get some low-level veteran that they could dump without significant expense." 

At the NFL Combine this week, 49ers general manager John Lynch had an opportunity to slam the door shut on signing Brady. Lynch didn't do so, and he raised some eyebrows with his words in the process.