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After Tom Brady announced his retirement from the NFL after a career that spanned 22 years, speculation continues around his future and whether or not he will make a comeback to the league for the start of the 2022 season.
Brady's return to the NFL has seemingly been discussed by every single pundit, player and fan ever since he broke the news that he was hanging up his cleats. One NFL analyst believes that until he closes the door for definite, a return to the league could be an option.
Speaking on FS1's First Things First, analyst Kevin Wildes is 100% behind the rumors that Brady could come back next season and play for his hometown team, the San Francisco 49ers:
"Until Tom Brady says absolutely not, I'm not coming back. He has left the door open for a comeback."
He believes Brady isn't going to return to the Bucs or the Patriots, but that signing for the 49ers is a viable option. Wildes continued:
"He doesn't want to be with the Bucs for whatever reason. I think obviously the Patriots, although I would like them to come back, is out. I think the Josh McDaniels thing that you've pitched has a little bit of juice.
Kevin Wildes ended his statement by speculating on why the seven-time Super Bowl champion would want to play for the 49ers:
"But to me, the one sort of hill that he has to climb is to like, you know what, it would be cool to play for my hometown, the team that I rooted for growing up and kind of bookend my career with like, exactly how I fell in love with football. So I'm taking this 100% seriously, I don't believe that he's retired, I do think we're gonna see him in a uniform again, it could very well be with the 49ers."
Brady spent the first 20 years of his career in New England, where he won six Super Bowls before moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, earning another ring in his first season after a 31-9 triumph over the Patrick Mahomes-led Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
Will Brady return to the NFL for the 2022 season despite announcing his retirement?
That's the question on everyone's lips. It may be more of a hope than an expectation that the five-time Super Bowl MVP will be back in uniform for the 2022 season, but the rumors are definitely out there and it could be in San Francisco where we see him suit up again.
Following the news that the greatest quarterback of all time has retired, fans of the NFL have refused to believe this to be the truth, with many creating fun narratives of where he may possibly play in 2022.
For now, we're just going to believe the announcement, and until we see him in a uniform in the NFL again, we have to come to terms with the fact that the GOAT has retired.
