Tom Brady’s decision to unretire transformed the outlook for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, turning the franchise from an uncertainty into a Super Bowl contender once again. The Buccaneers are thrilled to have Brady back for a third season with the team, changing their offseason plans for the better.
“We are thrilled that Tom has decided to come back this season,” Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht said in a statement after Brady decided to return. “We said we would leave all options open for him should he reconsider his retirement and today’s announcement is something we have been preparing for in recent days.
“Bruce (Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians) and I have had plenty of conversations with Tom recently that led us to believe there was a realistic chance he would want to come back. Tom is the greatest quarterback of all time who is still playing at an elite level. With this decision now made, we will continue to move forward with our offseason plans to reload this roster for another championship run.”
The Buccaneers certainly didn’t appear surprised on Brady’s decision to return as the franchise has made several moves this offseason to keep their offense performing at a championship level. Tampa Bay franchise tagged wide receiver Chris Godwin and re-signed center Ryan Jensen to a three-year deal over the past week. Guard Ali Marpet announced his retirement, so he isn’t expected back next season.
Brady has a cap number of $20,270,588 in 2022 while the Buccaneers are $3.6 million over the cap, meaning they won’t be able to retain all their free agents like years past (unless Brady decides to restructure his deal). The Buccaneers will still attempt to build the best roster around Brady.
“Tom Brady loves to play football as much as anyone I have ever been around,” Arians said. “As Tom said, his place right now is on the football field. He is still playing at a championship level and was as productive as anyone in the league last season. We are ecstatic that he decided to continue playing and working toward winning another championship.”
