Tom Brady is back! After being barely away from the NFL, Tom, 44, announced that “my place is still on the fields and not in the stands” and that he would unretire. So, what prompted the seven-time Super Bowl champion to change his mind? “There is a lot of inside baseball that can be shared, but when it comes down to it,” a source close to the quarterback tells HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, “Tom Brady loves the game. [He] loves to compete, and he still can play at an amazing and elite level as he embarks on his 23rd season.”
“[Tom] made the decision now because free agency starts,” the source tells HollywoodLife, referring to the period where unrestricted free agents get scooped up by teams hoping to bolster their ranks. The insider notes that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who didn’t even make it to the NFC Championship in the 2022 NFL Playoffs, must build up their team “to give Tom great people to play with and deal with the salary cap issues they’ll have.” Tom made his announcement now to give his team time “to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together.
“But,” the source adds, “when Tom talked to his family these past two months, it was just an obvious and exciting decision to continue to play. Everyone is for it. Everyone is happy. He has years to play, and he didn’t want to miss out on getting another Super Bowl. It is an exciting time right now for Tom.”
While Tom is excited to play for his 23 rd season and go for his eighth Super Bowl ring, how does his wife, Gisele Bundchen, feel about her husband suiting up for another season of hard-hitting football action? She “is in complete awe with her husband and his achievements,” a second source, one close to the couple, tells HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY.
“Sure, she gets concerned for his health and well-being,” the insider tells HollywoodLife, “but he is the best at what he does, and she knows that he had the drive to continue. She is fully in his court and happy to make this a family decision for him to continue playing in the NFL.” Gisele, 41, knows that there will come a day when Tom will retire and stay retire, but she’s okay with waiting a little longer for that day.
“They will have their entire lives ahead of each other,” the source said. “They are enjoying life now and will continue and him returning; she is so proud of him because it shows their kids that if you chase your dreams, you can be the absolute best.”