Uncertainty continues to surround Tom Brady's departure from Tampa Bay

Tom Brady announced he was stepping away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to begin the next chapter of his life. But he did not sound like someone who was truly retired for good.

This has led to constant rumors about him returning. The easiest thing to do would be to come back and play one final farewell season with the Bucs. Yet rumors go a bit further and suggest he could even demand a trade to the San Francisco 49ers.

What has remained true since the announcement is a glaring level of uncertainty surrounding his status.

One day, it feels like he is all set to play in the Bay Area. The next day fans get a message like the one from Bruce Arians saying he'd be surprised if the quarterback did in fact come out of retirement and play again.

Arians is a whole other factor in this discussion because there are even rumors that Brady wanted out as he did not get along with the head coach. Ultimately, there are a lot of unknowns, and only one person can quiet all the noise.

Tom Brady is the only one who can provide clarity

NFC Divisional Playoffs - Los Angeles Rams v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Brady never came out and said he was officially retired. In fact, the initial news was spoiled by the media in the first place. So maybe he wasn't ready in the first place?

The supposed reason he called it quits was to spend more time with family. Yet now we are seeing rumors that it had to do with how he and Arians got along.

The lack of a true farewell tour adds to the mystery around the legendary quarterback. He did not tell fans that 2021 would be his final season. That left the door open for him to keep playing at the age of 45 in 2022.

An ideal scenario would have been him winning back-to-back Super Bowls in Tampa Bay and announcing his retirement on the podium. Yet things rarely work out that well for any professional athlete.

Brady not providing clarity on this matter leaves several teams in limbo. The Buccaneers are obviously the key factor in the discussion, while the 49ers can be factored in as well.

San Francisco have plans to trade Jimmy Garoppolo and have Trey Lance take over as the starter. But what if they have a chance to get Brady for a season or two? They are stuck in limbo regarding the possibility of that even happening. That could affect the timeline of a Garoppolo trade when the new league year begins.

Brady shook up the NFL when he headed to Tampa Bay two years ago. He can do it yet again by coming out of retirement and heading to the Bay Area.