Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Bill Belichick believes Tom Brady can play until he's 50

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 9/29/21

The highlight matchup of Week 4 of the 2021 NFL season involves legendary quarterback Tom Brady leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers into Gillette Stadium into a not-so-friendly homecoming game against the New England Patriots.

Together, Brady and New England coach Bill Belichick earned six Super Bowl rings from 2000 through the 2019 campaign, until the 44-year-old signal-caller signed with Tampa Bay in March 2020. There have been more than a few whispers this year that Brady could attempt to play past his 50th birthday as he attempts to prove what he can accomplish without Belichick.

Count Belichick among those who believe Brady could accomplish that incredible and unprecedented achievement.

Belichick on Brady: "Nothing Tom does surprises me, he's a great player, works hard, takes care of himself, he's talking about playing to 50, if anyone can do it, he probably can." #WBZ pic.twitter.com/AdaNHYVIFI
— Brad Tatum (@BradTatum) September 29, 2021

Such discussions date back to May when Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht admitted he told Brady that the future Hall of Famer could continue playing through the bulk of the current decade.

Brady teased earlier this month he's not ruling the idea out, but he recently suggested to Wall Street Journal Magazine (h/t Pro Football Talk) he's currently only fully committed to playing through the 2022 season.

"Beyond that, I don’t know," Brady explained in that interview. "Maybe it’s another year after that; maybe it’s two. I’ll have to see where I’m at with my family. That’s probably the overriding factor — what I’m missing out on."

Brady is on track to become the NFL's all-time leader in career passing yards at the Patriots Sunday night. Per ESPN stats, he currently leads the league with 10 touchdown throws, is second with 1,087 passing yards and seventh with a 66.3 total QBR.

Nobody can say when Father Time will catch up with the G.O.A.T. during the 2020s, if it happens at all.

More must-reads: