His second season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ended for Tom Brady in the Divisional Round against the Los Angeles Rams. Was the game with the uncrowned catch his last in the NFL? That might depend a lot on how the “GOAT” answers another question for himself.

Munich – The question of all questions took a few minutes to come. The answer was as expected as it was unsatisfactory.

When Tom Brady was asked about his future at the press conference after the play-off exit, he reacted relatively soberly: “I haven’t thought about it much yet. We will now look from day to day where we are.” His thoughts, he said, have only ever been about winning the next game.

Despite strong comeback, Buccaneers fail

In his Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 27-30 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, they failed to do so. Despite another fabulous comeback, with which a 3:27 shortly before the end was turned into a 27:27.

Ultimately, too little to be victorious on this day and follow up last year’s Super Bowl triumph with another deep playoff run.

Brady contract has one year left

So the Brady-“Bucs” liaison could come to an end with a last-minute home loss. It is true that the “GOAT” only extended his contract last offseason by 2022.

But according to experts, the main purpose of the extension was to restructure the existing contract and provide the franchise with additional cap space to keep more stars.

Along with the picture of his signature, Brady posted the note: “Chasing number eight.” Now, seven Super Bowl wins may forever remain on his resume.

Brady has accomplished his official mission in Tampa Bay

Even though “TB12” has shown that he is still one of the best in his field at the age of 44, and there is no doubt that he can make another successful assault on the Vince Lombardi Trophy. The question is whether he wants to.

After all, Brady has nothing to prove to anyone since winning the title a year ago. Which was his official reason for changing clubs. But by now no pundit or fan should be fooled into thinking that the star quarterback dominated the NFL for two decades only because he played for the New England Patriots.

Arians: Brady decides his future

Since then, in Tampa, they enjoy “Lord of the Rings” as one of their own. And so Bruce Arians only spoke what was clear to everyone anyway. Asked whether Brady would also play for the Buccaneers next season, the head coach stressed: “That’s up to Tom alone.”

The Florida franchise would of course roll out the red carpet for him again – honour to whom honour is due – and try everything to keep the other stars together.

If Brady were to say goodbye, however, the Bucs would also be faced with the problem of carrying his dead cap of 40.925 million US dollars through the season. By comparison, he blocked only 10.5 million US dollars in cap space this season.

Brady impresses in his mid-40s

He wanted to play until he was 45, Brady had once said. Often it was said more vaguely that he would remain active until his mid-40s. The father of three has achieved that – with flying colours. What no one would have thought possible five years ago.

Even now it still seems surreal how Brady, as a – pardon me, Tom – aged quarterback, is one of the league’s dominators. There’s no question about it: you can go out like that. Especially since the Rams game will be remembered more for the formidable comeback than the completely screwed up first half with only one field goal.

Brady and American football – it’s love

What’s more uncertain is: would Brady even make the jump? From an active superstar, always thinking about the next opponent, the next play, the next challenge, to a pure private and also businessman as well as family man.

Actually, it’s difficult to imagine, considering how much Brady burns for this game. Probably no one lives American football as much as the man who has given more to the sport than anyone else. A truly dreamlike interaction.

Brady’s analysis right after the end of the season

His ex-colleague Sebastian Vollmer once revealed Brady also goes straight into analysis after the last game of the season to get in the mood for the coming season. Football crazy in the best sense.

During the playoffs, it can happen that Brady retreats to one of his numerous mansions. Wife Gisele Bündchen and the children then have to do without the head of the family. Because in the hot phase of the season, Brady doesn’t want to leave anything to chance. Nothing at all.

Brady after the NFL: fashion, nutrition and football expert?

This would all be a thing of the past in one fell swoop. Boredom would certainly not come up for Brady. Only a few days ago he released his first own fashion line. With his brand “TB12”, he has been supplying the market with everything to do with healthy eating for years.

Brady would be predestined to do this as a football expert, and the US broadcasters would undoubtedly be all over him. But of course he can still devote himself to this life after his NFL career in one, two or three years.

Brady must face the question of doubt

The timing of his retirement is likely to depend largely on whether Brady can trust himself to play another year at the top level. In other words, it’s a matter of doubt.

What the perfectionist surely wants to avoid at all costs: to end up as a “lame duck”, to be put up only on the basis of his previous merits and to block the place of a possibly already better-performing successor.

The NFL and the Bucs don’t deserve that. And certainly not Brady.

Evans and David root for Brady’s decision

The franchise, long his, can only wait and cheer. “I hope he comes back next season. Best player ever, one of the best teammates and one of the best leaders I’ve ever seen,” praises Mike Evans: “I said it two years ago, I’m super-thankful he came to Tampa Bay.”

Lavonte David sees it similarly: “He always says he still has something to prove, but what more do you want him to do? He’s the ‘GOAT.’ He’s done everything he can. If he comes back, of course we will welcome him with open arms. But we have to let him decide that for himself. “

Brady question electrifies like Super Bowl champion

So the ball is in Brady’s hands once again. Where he should be particularly comfortable. How many more times will Brady send his favourite working tool on the road?

A question that is as electrifying as the one about the Buccaneers’ successor as Super Bowl champions.