Tom Brady on his future: 'To be determined'

Whether he would openly admit it or not, logic suggests that quarterback Tom Brady has at least heard about the rumors and reports claiming his retirement following the 2021 NFL season was more about making an exit from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this winter than about riding off into the sunset. 

Brady remarked on his "Let’s Go!" SiriusXM show and podcast last month he would "never say never" about returning to the league for at least one more campaign, and both Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht and head coach Bruce Arians said Tuesday they'd welcome the 44-year-old back for another run at a Super Bowl title. 

As Jeremy Layton noted for the New York Post, Brady appeared at the Seminole Pro-Member golf tournament over the weekend and was directly asked if his SiriusXM project was his "only job" moving forward. 

"To be determined," Brady responded. "A lot of things going on. Today, it’s golf." 

Also on Tuesday, Arians shot down the notion the Buccaneers might make it easy for Brady to join another team via a trade or release, as they still technically hold the signal-caller's rights for 2022. 

"Bad business," Arians said of the Buccaneers making such a move this spring or summer. 

According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Arians added Brady "slammed" the figurative door for a potential return shut "when I talked to him." 

If the G.O.A.T. has truly closed and locked that door for every other team, he isn't publicly saying so ahead of the new NFL year that opens on March 16.