In a podcast, Tom Brady says he wants to take his time when deciding on a possible career end. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, meanwhile, are looking around the free agent market for a possible replacement.

Tampa Bay/Munich – Will Tom Brady end his career or play another season in the NFL at the age of 45? This question is likely to occupy the media and fans for some time to come. In the new edition of the podcast “Let’s go”, the quarterback let it be known that he will take his time in making the decision.

“The point is, there’s no real rush for me to figure out what’s next,” Brady said. “I’ll know when I know. We’re only a day into the season now. I think we all need to relax now. We’ve had six straight months of football now, every day has been spent playing football. And I think now is the time for my family and for my kids first. “

Wife Gisele Bündchen would be hurt by any hit from Brady

His wife Gisele Bündchen has been trying to convince Brady to retire for five years: “She’s my biggest supporter. It hurts her to see me take a hit.” Still, he said, his wife and children have been a great support to him during the season: “They’ve given me what I need to do what I love over the last six months. That’s what a relationship is about. It’s not always about what I want, it’s about what we want as a family. I’m going to spend a lot of time with them and figure out what’s next.”

However, he said he could not imagine announcing the end of his career before a season and then virtually going on a “farewell tour”. “I think that would distract me,” he says. Brady would have spent the whole season thinking only about the games and never about the possible end of his career. “But when you’re 44 years old, you get asked about it a lot. A lot of people already thought I was done with football in 2015. A lot of people also said I was done in 2016. And then again in 2018 or when I left the Patriots, they said that might have been it. “

Brady is proud of the 2021 season

Brady could even imagine ending his career after being eliminated in the Divisional Playoffs, though? “I’m proud and pleased with everything we’ve accomplished this year,” Brady explained. “If I gave it my all, I can be proud of that. And I really gave it my all, just like the year before and the year before that.”

Further, Brady says, “I feel like I gave my teammates everything I could give them. Even though the attention is a bit more divided when you get older. There are different priorities and responsibilities in life then. I also have things outside of football that require time and energy. For the kids, for example, you spend time and energy. And I enjoy that too. “

Buccaneers do their homework

Brady has one year left on his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Nevertheless, the franchise must expect Brady to end his career. Therefore, the franchise will look for free agent solutions to succeed him. “We do that with every position,” head coach Bruce Arians said. “And obviously you start with the quarterback. We’ll see how it goes and what Tom does. We’ll do our homework, that’s for sure. “