Will Tom Brady Retire After The Super Bowl? Patriots QB Addresses Age Questions

As Tom Brady prepares to win a record sixth Super Bowl championship as a starting quarterback, some have speculated about how much longer he can keep playing. Some may have even wondered if next Sunday’s championship game against the Los Angeles Rams will be Brady’s last.

In a Sunday interview with ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Brady shut down that idea. The future Hall of Famer said there was a zero percent chance he would call it quits after the Super Bowl, regardless of what happens.

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“I feel like I’ve been asked that a lot, and I feel like I repeat the same answer, but no one wants to believe me,” Brady told Darlington.

The questions about Brady’s longevity have been around for years, and the 2018 season only amplified them. Though he had a fine season by most quarterbacks’ standards, Brady’s completion percentage, passing yards, passer rating and touchdowns were all down from his MVP season in 2017.

He also threw more interceptions and the Patriots lost to five non-playoff teams during the regular season. New England had to navigate parts of the season with limited availability from top receivers like Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. Trade acquisition Josh Gordon also abruptly left the team in the middle of the season.

Even Rams players are buying into the idea that Brady has declined. LA cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman told Bleacher Report that Brady’s age has “definitely taken a toll.”

Still, the Patriots are going to their ninth Super Bowl in the Brady era, and they have not drafted his eventual replacement yet. Brady will be 42 in August. He has frequently said he wants to play until he is 45, but told Darlington he will retire when he knows he should.

“I’m going to know when the time is right,” Brady said.