Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Can Brady Play For Five More Years?

Tom Brady is a beast when it comes to playing at a high level. Not only will he go down as the winningest quarterback in NFL history, but he’s also still playing just as well as the guys 10 years younger. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hit the jackpot when they signed the 20+ year veteran last year and immediately it paid off with a Super Bowl victory. Now the Bucs and Brady look to the future with a very odd benchmark in mind.

The internet has been abuzz with the comments made to USA Today about Brady playing until he’s 50. He’s signed through the 2022 season, which means he’ll be 45 when the league year ends and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. While the comments may have been half-joking, do we have any reason to believe that he won’t be playing until he’s 50?

Right now, Tom Brady is playing just as well in his 40’s as he did when he was in his 30’s. He’s still out there commanding an offense and getting guys into position to succeed. Statistically, he’s just as sound as he has always been, making the plays he’s always made. He’s made a career out of getting rid of the football and not taking hits, something that probably prolonged his career.

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Not to mention, Tampa Bay could use the star power to keep fans interested. As long as he’s under center, there’s always a chance they’ll make a post-season run until he shows signs of age. That alone is enough to keep fans coming back to the stadium year after year.

The Buccaneers even have the luxury of waiting out his replacement. Unless something catastrophic happens, Brady will return in the 2023 campaign. Even if they don’t have their future quarterback on their current roster, they can go out and draft one in the mid to late rounds next offseason and develop him under Brady’s tutelage. If his replacement is on the roster, he’s probably soaking up all the knowledge he can to be ready to go when the time comes.

If you would’ve told me ten years ago there’d be a 40+-year-old quarterback winning a Super Bowl, you would’ve been laughed out of the building, but Tom Brady did it. It doesn’t matter what your opinion of him is, the man wins football games and he’s not showing any signs of stopping.