Tom Brady declines to slam door shut on joining Dolphins this year

The tradition of Tom Brady refusing to slam the door shut on a possible return to the NFL has continued through at least April.

As Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio explained, Brady was asked during a Thursday event at the Miami Beach Convention Center if he could un-retire this spring or summer and join the Miami Dolphins as a free agent. 

"I will say now that I’m not affiliated with any team anymore, even though I have strong ties with a couple teams, I do have some friends on the Dolphins that I really like," Brady responded. "So, I wouldn’t say I necessarily root for them all the time, but I root for my friends to do well, and several of them play for Miami."

No version of "no" was included in his answer. 

It's now widely believed Brady originally wanted to make a move from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Dolphins ahead of his short-lived retirement in the winter of 2022. Florio revived the Brady-Dolphins chatter this past January before the seven-time Super Bowl champion called time on his playing days "for good" on Feb. 1. 

NFL Network's Rich Eisen and New England Patriots broadcaster Scott Zolak are among noteworthy members of the NFL community who linked Brady with the Dolphins in March before Miami officially picked up the fifth-year option attached to the rookie contract for Tua Tagovailoa. Also in March, Brady elected against confirming he won't look to sign with any team before he becomes Fox's lead NFL analyst in 2024. 

Earlier this week, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier suggested that he won't sign Tagovailoa to any extension "until we have to do something" as the 25-year-old works to bounce back after he suffered two reported concussions this past campaign. 

"Even if (Brady joining Miami) doesn’t happen before the season happens, it could become an in-season bat signal situation if Tua continues to have concussion issues, due to his helmet striking the turf when he is knocked or thrown to the ground," Florio wrote. 

For whatever reasons, knowledgeable individuals continue to spread doubts about Brady using the second half of 2023 to prepare for a broadcasting career. TB12 could silence such talk with one definitive statement, but the 45-year-old instead continues to say plenty by saying not much at all.