Bills' Josh Allen suggests Tom Brady gave hint about retirement decision

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is among those who noticed that Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers seemed to offer some sort of farewell on Monday night. 

"When it happened last year and he retired, I told people 'I’ll believe it when he’s not playing the first game,'" Allen said during the latest edition of the "Kyle Brandt’s Basement" podcast, per Jenna Lemoncelli of the New York Post. "But, the way that he talked in his press conference last night, it seemed a little too sentimental for my liking in terms of, you know, holding onto the belief that he’s going to continue to play."

After the Buccaneers were smashed by the Dallas Cowboys 31-14 in this past Monday's wild-card playoff game held at Raymond James Stadium, Brady thanked those who cover Tampa Bay and also made it sound like he was exiting a media event for the last time as one of the team's active players. 

"I love this organization, it’s a great place to be, and thank everybody for welcoming me, all you regulars," Brady said. "Just very grateful for the respect and hope I gave the same thing back to you guys. Thank you very much, and I appreciate it."

Brady turns 46 years old in August 2023 and hasn't yet announced his intentions for next season. He's been linked in stories with a potential return to the Buccaneers but also with the Carolina Panthers, Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans, among other teams. The seven-time Super Bowl champion can hit free agency when the new league year opens in March. 

"It’s up to him and the people in his life around him, and how he’s going to take that decision into his own hands, but I know there’s gonna be teams calling," Allen added about Brady. 

Brady reportedly "lost 27 pounds" prior to the season as he dealt with off-the-field matters, and he and Gisele Bündchen confirmed their divorce after 13 years of marriage on Oct. 28. While it's unknown how that situation could impact Brady's future, it was learned during the fall that Bündchen purchased a home in the Miami Beach area. 

For a piece published on Nov. 18, Ira Kaufman of the Joe Bucs Fan website reported that Buccaneers senior advisor Bruce Arians, Brady's former coach, said that "Brady staying in close proximity to his children would be another major determining factor if he plans on a 24th NFL season."