Tom Brady, NFL legend and recent retiree, has expressed interest in a potential return to the league. However, New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo believes Brady's return should be as a coach, not a player.
Tom Brady, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and recent retiree, has hinted at a possible return to the NFL. While the former Patriots quarterback has not ruled out making a comeback as a player, New England's first-year head coach, Jerod Mayo, believes Brady's return should be in a coaching capacity.
Mayo, who played alongside Brady for eight seasons in New England, expressed his admiration for his former teammate and left the door open for him to join the Patriots' coaching staff. However, he emphasized that Brady's return should not be as a player.
"I love Tom, and the door is always open if he wants to come in here and coach," Mayo said. "But as far as going on the field, I don’t know. But if he comes here, once again, going back to the, ‘Hey, the best player will play,’ you’ve gotta come in here and compete, and he loves competition. I doubt he’s gonna be walking through these doors any time soon."
Brady's desire to return to the league stems from his passion for the game and his belief that he can still compete at a high level. He recently stated on the "DeepCut" podcast, "I’m not opposed to it. I don’t know if they are going to let me if I become an owner of an NFL team. I’m always going to be in good shape. I’ll always be able to throw the ball. So, to come in for a little bit, like [Michael Jordan] coming back, I don’t know if they would let me. But I wouldn’t be opposed to it."
Brady's potential return as a coach could provide invaluable guidance to the Patriots' young quarterbacks. The team recently drafted North Carolina's Drake Maye with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, hoping he can be their franchise quarterback for years to come. Brady's experience and knowledge would be instrumental in Maye's development.
However, a return to Foxborough as a player is unlikely for Brady. The Patriots are committed to Maye as their quarterback of the future, and Brady is reportedly in talks to become a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
While Brady's playing days may be behind him, his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time will endure. And if he decides to return to the NFL in a coaching role, he will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the next generation of players.
