Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Tom Brady may be well into retirement, but that hasn’t stopped some around the NFL from wondering — could the greatest of all time still play today?
The former Buccaneers star walked away from the game in 2023, but former NFL MVP Matt Ryan recently stirred the conversation again with one confident answer: yes, Brady could still do it.
Ryan, now an analyst with CBS Sports’ The NFL Today, joined The Dan Patrick Show and didn’t hesitate when asked whether Brady still has what it takes.
Oct 22, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) greets Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) after the game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images
“I think he could,” Ryan said. “I mean, I think the way he takes care of himself, he looks more fit now than he’s ever been. And I think the style with which he played leads to being able to play longer. Not moving around, not having to run and do all those different things. Because he can still throw it, he could still spin it at the end.”
Tampa Bay fans don’t need much convincing. Brady, after all, gave them three unforgettable seasons — including a Super Bowl win in his first year with the franchise. In 2021, at age 44, he led the entire NFL in both passing yards (5,316) and touchdowns (43). And even in his final campaign, he set new career highs in completions and attempts while showing little drop-off in arm strength or decision-making.
While Brady is now working as a broadcaster and minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, Matt Ryan’s comments brought attention to what many Bucs fans already believed: physically, Brady left the game while still capable of playing.
From a physical standpoint, Matt Ryan may very well be right — Tom Brady could still step under center and deliver strikes. But for Tampa Bay, the Brady era will remain a time capsule of dominance, discipline and excellence.
Now led by Baker Mayfield and a new generation of talent, the Buccaneers are focused on building a future that stands on the foundation Brady helped lay. Still, hearing another NFL MVP say, without hesitation, that Brady could still spin it? It just confirms what Bucs fans already knew — they witnessed a quarterback who probably had more left and chose to walk away anyway.
