Sunday officially marks the start of Year 23 for Tom Brady.
The third-year Buccaneers quarterback decided to return for the 2022 season after a brief foray into retirement. That, of course, didn't last long, and his return to the gridiron has resulted in an oft-asked question: "Why did he return in the first place?"
Worry no more, fans. Brady himself has the answer in a hype video — complete with team highlights and clips from "Top Gun: Maverick" — he dropped ahead of Tampa Bay's game at Dallas:
Year 23. #LFG pic.twitter.com/YUyh1XMekh
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) September 11, 2022
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"It's been a unique offseason," Brady says in the video. "And lately, I've been seeing the same question on social media: 'Why'd you come back?' I can give you a long speech, but the answer is actually pretty simple.
"We've got a hell of a team. I'm still feeling pretty good. And an arm is a terrible thing to waste. I've been reminded for almost a decade now: You're headed for extinction. And maybe so. But not today.
Brady then ends the video by saying, "I'll see you in Dallas."
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Brady's retirement has been a huge topic of discussion this offseason, and with good reason. The future Hall of Famer is now entering his age-45 season and already is one of the most accomplished players in the history of football.
Brady's decision to un-retire certainly was helped by the fact Tampa Bay remains one of the top teams in the NFL, even with tight end Rob Gronkowski retiring once and for all. And, you'll remember, Brady led the league in several passing categories in 2021, including career-highs in completions (485), attempts (719) and yards (5,316). He also had a league-high 43 passing touchdowns.
So, yeah. Brady clearly has more left in the tank and in his arm. How that manifests in 2022 remains to be seen, but he at least has cleared up — yet again — why he's coming back for another season.
Now, as Brady said: See you in Dallas.
