"Wouldn't be surprised if he decided to walk away" - Tom Brady's former teammate believes this season could be QB's last

Stories about the end of Tom Brady have been doing the rounds for close to a decade. The idea of Brady's retirement has become a yearly news story, and something to be raked up every single season.

Until this point, all the speculation has been wrong. However, a former teammate thinks this could really be our last look at Brady in pads.

Speaking on ESPN's morning show Get Up, sports analyst Rob Ninkovich made his opinion known on Tom Brady's availability in 2022. Put simply, the former linebacker says he "wouldn't be surprised" if the future Hall of Famer hung it up.

"Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if Tom decided to just kind of walk away and you know, do whatever he wants to do, because listen, right now he's in bonus time," he said.

Ninkovich also pointed out that Brady's successful off-field ventures could be what ultimately see him walk away from the game. Brady's "TB12" empire has continued to expand in recent months.

"I mean, he's got TB12 that he has grown to being, you know, in LA and New York and Boston," Ninkovich said. "And he's got his own brand coming out in the Brady brand. With his clothing line."

Ninkovich had stated earlier in the segment that he didn't know what Tom Brady could possibly achieve in another season that would make playing worthwhile. Similar sentiments have been shared by sports analysts and NFL fans alike.

"How many 44 year old quarterbacks have we seen throw for the amount of yards and touchdowns and he'll be 45 in August," Ninkovich said. "So at this point right now, you know, what else does he have to prove to anybody? What else does he have to check off the list?"

"What is Tom Brady's legacy? The best quarterback to ever play" - Rob Ninkovich

Pittsburgh Steelers v New England Patriots

Whether or not Tom Brady decides to retire from the NFL, it's safe to assume that he's going to go out somewhere near the top. Brady's excellence, coupled with his longevity, is a true testament to how great a player he is.

At 44 years old, Brady continues to break records that seemingly didn't exist before he started playing - simply as a product of his age.

But went it comes to the issue of Tom Brady's retirement, Rob Ninkovich reckons his former teammate will only walk away once he is truly satisfied with what he has done on the field. Ninkovich also suggested that Brady should take stock and feel good about what he's done up until now.

"Everything that he has done, he left the Patriots went to another team won a Super Bowl, and everything as far as football goes, you know, when you feel content with your career and everything that you've done, you can kind of say, 'Alright, I'm going to walk off on my own two feet'," Ninkovich said.

The 37-year-old also claimed that Brady can play until he's 50. Ninkovich believes the Tampa Bay quarterback would only retire once he has accomplished everything he set out to accomplish.

"So you know, Tom playing until he's 50," Ninkovich said. "If he really wants to, sure. Okay, but if he doesn't, and if he decides, 'Hey, I've had enough, I've done everything I need to do. What's my legacy?' What is his legacy? The best quarterback to ever play."

For now, however, the show goes on, as Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers face the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this Sunday. Brady will look to win Super Bowl ring number eight as he once again leads his team in the postseason.