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Tom Brady got to match up against his childhood team, the San Francisco 49ers, in Week 14. He is a Bay Area native and was linked to the team this offseason as rumors swirled about his future during his short retirement.
Unfortunately, the homecoming was spoiled quickly by the rookie quarterback making his first career start. Brock Purdy started for the 49ers and lit up the Tampa defense with three total touchdowns in a dominant 35-7 victory.
The Buccaneers' defense stood no chance, even against a rookie, proving how dynamic the 49ers are on offense with any quarterback. Will this influence Brady's plans for 2023?
The 49ers gave Tom Brady a great preview of a perfect 2023 story
We have already seen the man known as the "GOAT" retire once, only for that to last a matter of weeks. It's clear he is still playing at a good enough level to continue into 2023, barring any injuries later this season.
The 49ers, being his local childhood team, could certainly look to plug him in next season on a one-year deal. Jimmy Garoppolo will be gone and Trey Lance will be coming back from injury. Even if Purdy goes on a strong run, this is Tom Brady. A year in San Francisco would not disrupt future plans for either of the two young signal-callers in the Bay Area.
The key from Sunday’s game is that the 49ers showed off how they can plug in any quarterback and have a dominant victory. The defense is atop the NFL, while the running game only got better when they went out and acquired Christian McCaffrey, who happened to run for 119 yards on only 14 carries in the 35-7 win.
The team has also proven that they are always looking for an upgrade at quarterback. Garoppolo nearly won a Super Bowl and the team went out and drafted Lance. If Brady is available next offseason, sitting Lance again could be in the cards. He will only be 23-years-old when the next season gets underway.
Brady and the Buccaneers remain in great shape to take the NFC South crown, even with a 6-7 record. Regardless of how this season finishes, he is a true free agent in the offseason. That may mean he finally returns home in an attempt to win a Super Bowl with a third team and make his childhood dream come true.
