Arians: Brady hasn't informed Bucs about retirement decision

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Bruce Arians says Tom Brady hasn't informed Bucs about a retirement decision

By Adam Stites | Last updated 1/29/22

Just an hour or so after ESPN broke news that Tom Brady is retiring after 22 seasons in the NFL, the quarterback's agent and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Bruce Arians pumped the brakes on the report.

Pump the brakes for a bit.
Tom Brady has not informed the Bucs of his plans to retire. “No, he hasn’t that we know of,” Bruce Arians told me. “Agent (Donald Yee) just told us he hasn’t made up his mind.” https://t.co/1pb7AC4U45
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 29, 2022

Rick Stroud of Tampa Bay Times also tweeted that Brady has informed Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht that his mind is still not made up.

ESPN's Adam Schefter, who reported the retirement news along with Jeff Darlington, tweeted a statement Saturday afternoon from Brady's agent, Don Yee.

"I understand the advance speculation about Tom's future," Yee wrote. "Without getting into the accuracy or inaccuracy of what's being reported, Tom will be the only person to express his plans with complete accuracy. He knows the realities of the football business and planning calendar as well as anybody, so that should be soon."

Brady, 44, told the Wall Street Journal in September that he'd "definitely" play through the 2022 season. But speculation about his potential retirement began stirring earlier this month with reports that he was suddenly "noncommittal" about coming back. After a postseason loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Brady appeared even closer to retirement when he spoke on a podcast.

Tom Brady on his Let’s Go podcast about his wife and family and football. “It pains her to see me get hit out there. And she deserves what she needs from me as a husband and my kids deserve what they need from me as a dad.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) January 25, 2022