Tom Brady retires: Buccaneers, 49ers, Raiders must now look elsewhere for 2023 starting quarterback

Seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time NFL MVP Tom Brady retired last offseason from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but few actually believed he would stay on the sidelines, as he never ruled out a return. Brady of course announced a comeback and had a good individual season for the Buccaneers, but wasn't good in a Wild Card Round loss to Dallas and suffered the first losing regular season of his Hall-of-Fame career. This morning, Brady retired again and said it's "for good." Ironically, Feb. 1, 2022, was the first time Brady stepped away.

Brady actually will make more per year working as the No. 1 NFL analyst for FOX Sports, as he signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with the network last summer. It's interesting that he chose now to do this ahead of the Super Bowl and with his movie "80 for Brady" having just come out. Brady made his first red carpet appearance on Tuesday in Los Angeles since he and his ex-wife Gisele Bündchen divorced. The 45-year-old was at the premiere of "80 for Brady," starring Jane Fonda, Sally Field, Rita Moreno, and Lily Tomlin. Brady was a producer of the movie and also appears in it.

Brady was never expected to return to Tampa Bay and this means the entire NFC South could have new starting quarterbacks next season. The Bucs obviously will, Carolina and Atlanta may both draft QBs early, and neither Jameis Winston nor Andy Dalton is expected back with New Orleans.

Las Vegas is still expected to trade Derek Carr and could either select a quarterback with the No. 7 pick in the draft and/or acquire a veteran QB. Jimmy Garoppolo is now the top free-agent QB on the market.

Brady is from the San Francisco area and his parents still live there. The 49ers are losing Garoppolo and have major injury questions at QB in Brock Purdy and Trey Lance. If Brady wanted his best chance at an eighth Super Bowl ring, it would have been with San Francisco, a +700 third favorite to win Super Bowl 58 at DraftKings. SportsLine oddsmakers had listed Brady as a third favorite to be the Niners' Week 1 starting QB.

This news certainly changes the market for Garoppolo. as well as the trade market for another first-ballot Hall of Famer in four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers, who has said he won't decide on whether he will play in 2023 until after the Super Bowl. He's favored to be traded to the New York Jets if he does play.

Via SportsLine oddsmakers: Will Tom Brady play another game in the NFL?

• No -2000
• Yes +1000 

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