Tom Brady 'wouldn't be opposed' to unretiring if 49ers called him

Didn't the 49ers try luring Tom Brady out of retirement a year ago?
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady / Ethan Miller/GettyImages
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Tom Brady said he'd be open to the idea of unretiring, provided the right opportunity presented itself and if he'd be allowed to do so.

Soon-to-be Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady is addicted to playing NFL football.

That has to be the only explanation after the 46-year-old seven-time Super Bowl champion has announced a retirement (multiple times), including his "final" announcement after his 2022 campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Given his competitive nature, though, it makes sense why Brady might consider wanting to return to the gridiron as a player despite his advanced age (but in light of his exceptional health).

After his last retirement speech in which he said he was retired "for good," Brady seems to have contradicted himself.

Or, at the very least, he's changing his mind.

Tom Brady admits he'd be open to signing with an NFL team (including 49ers) if the right opportunity presented itself.

On a recent episode of Deep Cut, shared by The 33rd Team, Brady was asked about potentially getting that call from a team in need of a quarterback.

The New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers were all mentioned.

"I'm not opposed to it," Brady responded. "I don't know if [the NFL] would let me by becoming an owner of an NFL team, but I don't know. I'm always going to be in good shape and always will be able to throw the ball."

Brady is scheduled to become a minority owner in the Raiders franchise, so that could create a conflict of interest.

"I don't know if they would let me, but I wouldn't be opposed to it," Brady concluded.

49ers tried luring Tom Brady out of retirement in 2023

Following Brady's retirement in the wake of the 2022 season, the Niners actually tried luring him away from that decision for one more go at it with his boyhood team the following year.

It would have meant that San Francisco would relegate now-starter Brock Purdy to the bench, at least with the idea of him having a tremendous mentor in Brady for one last season, but the 49ers were certainly interested in the idea.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch even confirmed the rumors.

Ultimately, though, Brady turned it down.

Related story: Tom Brady dishes out nothing but compliments about Brock Purdy

It sounds like Brady is going back on those earlier sentiments, or at the very least having a friendly conversation about potentially returning to the NFL ranks.

The likelihood of it happening, however, is supremely low.

Brady even admitted such.

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