Tom Brady was on the verge of unretiring again in 2024
TOM Brady has finally broken his silence about nearly unretiring for the second time.
ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reported that before the 2023 season, Kyle Shanahan met with Brock Purdy to tell him he would go to the bench if Tom Brady would come out of retirement for the 49ers.
Tom Brady broke his silence over unretirement rumors
Brock Purdy ended up remaining the starter for the 49ers and led them to the Super BowlCredit: Getty
Of course, it ultimately didn’t happen, but Purdy reflected on the moment after making the playoff this year.
“That meant so much to me,” Purdy told ESPN.
“I remember him saying, if we can get Tom Brady, we’re going to try to get him. And I was like, ‘Yeah, he’s the GOAT. I get it.’
“But something deep down inside me was sort of like, ‘Dude, I just showed you that I can play well in this system.’
“And we were one game away from the Super Bowl.’ More than anything, I was like, ‘OK, now let’s go.’”
Brady also posted a cryptic Instagram message earlier in the month where he suggested that he was about to unretire, potentially referencing the 49ers calling him up.
“The only downside to 2023 was when I was about to unretire in May and my friends threw a surprise retirement party. Kind of forced my hand,” he captioned an Instagram post.
In an appearance on The Pat McAfee show on Tuesday, Brady finally commented on the situation after Pat McAfee pressed him about the 49ers.
“I think Brock has done a great job with the opportunity,” Brady said.
“He got it and he’s taken advantage of it. He was a late round pick I know he’s got a chip on his shoulder and he wants to go out there every day and prove he’s the right fit for that team.
“It’s a great organization they’re running, I really respect Kyle [Shanahan], but Brock’s done a hell of a job.”
After showing his respect for Brock Purdy, Brady took a moment to say that he never really thought about playing football in 2023 and was focused on his upcoming broadcast career.
“In this last offseason, there’s a lot of different things that people would suggest,” Brady said.
“I kind of just kept my mind focused on where I wanted to go, and again this was a great year for me to sit back and watch and learn and get prepared for being in the Fox booth next year.”
Brady will be taking over from Greg Olsen as Fox NFL’s lead color commentator in 2024.
He was signed to a 10-year, $375 million broadcasting deal immediately after his retirement.
Brady snubbed the 49ers in 2020 when he chose to play for the Buccaneers
