Patriots QB Tom Brady: 'You're gonna see me playing' next season
— -- MINNEAPOLIS -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said earlier this week that he wasn't thinking of retirement, and he reinforced that Sunday by saying on Westwood One radio: "Yeah, you're gonna see me playing football next year. I don't envision not playing."
Brady is signed through the 2019 season and is still playing at a high level, as evidenced by his winning the NFL's Most Valuable Player on Saturday.
After Sunday's 41-33 Super Bowl loss to the Eagles, Brady was less definitive but still stuck to the same refrain.
"I expect to be back, but we'll see," Brady said after throwing for 505 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's loss. "It's 15 minutes after the game ended. Have to process this a little bit. Don't see why I wouldn't be back."
Given their ages, the futures of Brady (40) and head coach Bill Belichick (65) have sparked media-based speculation. Belichick is also expected to return, saying in January after an ESPN report detailed friction among Belichick, Brady and owner Robert Kraft that he "absolutely" intends to be back with the Patriots next season.
In an interview with NFL Network, Patriots team president Jonathan Kraft was asked if he could envision a scenario in which he told Brady it was time to retire, and he said Brady had earned the latitude to decide when to do so.
When Brady was asked his reaction to Kraft's remarks, he said, "Why does everyone want me to retire so bad? I'm having fun, the team is doing good. I know I'm a little bit older than most of the guys, but I'm really enjoying it. ... So I'm not thinking about retirement."
Earlier in the week, when asked about his goal of playing into his mid-40s, Brady said, "I never want to be a detriment to the team. For me, as long as I'm playing at a high level, and I make the commitment to take care of myself year-round, then I'll continue to play. I don't know. Things change quickly. Anything can happen. But obviously, I want to keep playing. I love playing. And I love playing for the Patriots."
As for Super Bowl LII against the Philadelphia Eagles, Brady told Westwood One that it would mean a lot to him to win the game for his father.
"My dad is my biggest supporter, the greatest man I have ever known. He taught me so much. He's been just a wonderful influence in my life," said Brady, who dedicated Super Bowl LI to his mother. "He's there every step of the way. My dad loves sports, and we've been little traveling companions since I was in high school, and he's a wonderful, wonderful man, and I love him with all my heart. I'm happy he's going to be here, I know he's going to be nervous as hell, but that's what it is when you're in these games, and hopefully I can go make him proud."
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