Flushing Out The Details On Tom Brady’s Reported “Imminent” Decision

January 29th, 2022

Announcement soon?

Will he or won’t he?

For Bucs fans, the dominant theme this weekend isn’t Championship Sunday but whether Bucs quarterback Tom Brady calls it a career or returns to play in 2022.

Heavy metal-headbanging Jason La Canfora of CBS last night rattled social media when he released a report that Brady’s decision is “imminent” — and that he is getting fed intel by those connected to Brady’s inner-orbit that all signs point to Brady hanging up his cleats for good.

Joe fully buys La Canfora’s notion that one reason Brady may make an announcement soon is not to steal the spotlight from Super Bowl Week. The full-blown hype for that begins a week from Monday.

La Canfora jumped on CBS Sports HQ late last night to go over details in his story and to flush out further explanations of the rumblings he is hearing.

La Canfora sure seems convinced Brady is done.

You can see La Canfora explain in the CBS Sports HQ video below.

84 Responses to “Flushing Out The Details On Tom Brady’s Reported “Imminent” Decision”

  1. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    If La Canfora is wrong, he should be done.

  2. Ben the GA Buc Says:

    I kinda feel like he’s going to squeeze one more year out of himself. You know, the whole “playing till 45” and all.

    Just my gut feeling but I reserve the right to be wrong.

  3. August 1976 Buc Says:

    Wether Brady retires or not, life goes on.
    Do I want him to play another year for the Bucs yes.
    But whatever, life goes on.
    Where I live most people have np Idea who Tom Brady even is. lol
    That is always a good reality check about what is important.
    Sports are awesome to enjoy, but not the end all be all.
    Again hope Brady plays another year, but again life will go on. And really that is more awesome than anything else.

    GO BUCS!!!!!

  4. Casual Observer Says:

    As long as we’re at it, why not have one of Joe’s famous polls?

  5. Marine Buc Says:

    Walking away after leading the NFL in yards and TDs would be surprising.

    He is still producing at such a high level…

    Please give us one more year with a competent QB.

  6. yucboy Says:

    Jason La Canfora is a bum, I heard people in the sports media make fun of this guy all the time. Its a 50/50 shot wether he is right or not and while most other people think he will play another year, La Canfora is guessing the other way to boost his reputation if Brady actually decides to retire

  7. Chris Says:

    The way we’ve restructured all those contracts last year there is a lot of dead money sitting out there on contracts this year. I’m pretty certain if he retires that 32 mil in dead money still counts against our cap. This could really hurt us if he retires. I believe it’s smoke before the fire I think he will announce his retirement but he comes back for 1 last season.Help us out one more year Brady Please 🤞

  8. Aaron Says:

    Hope he makes the decision before we have to officially “Opt-in” for next year’s season tickets. that schedule without Tom has 4 – 13 all over it.

  9. Snookman Says:

    I had a feeling this season would be it. I made a point to go see him play live. I really wanted to see the greatest player in the history of the greatest sport play live! I did! I got to see him torch the Giants.

  10. D-Rok Says:

    I am selfishly praying that Brady returns. I can appreciate that he wants to take at least a few weeks and ponder his future, accounting for his family’s wishes and what he thinks this team might be next year. After watching his stellar play for over 2 decades, he’s earned the right to determine his future. I will accept any decision he makes as being the right one for him, and I will patiently wait for his official announcement. Life is too short to get too hyped up or worried over “reports.” When it comes from Brady’s mouth, I will know it’s real. Until then, as a fan, I can only hope he comes back and hope we have a competitive team next year.

    As always, GO BUCS!!

  11. Marine Buc Says:

    @ Chris

    I read somewhere (or maybe a podcast) that $16 million of TB12’s signing bonus money will be cancelled if he retires this off season. We will still owe him @ $16 million…

    Perhaps Joe or another fan here can help shed some light on this…

  12. JimbobBucsFan Says:

    How would it be a fellow like Jason La Canfora has better intel and “insider” knowledge than any of our local reporters? Among the Joes, the Sage, Rock Riley and Derrick Brooks we have a great chance of getting it right. Not to mention Ronde Barber, Dave Moore and many more out there in our Buccaneer community. I take the national media with a grain of salt when it comes to our Bucs.

  13. Robertg Says:

    If TB retired the buccaneers would recoup about 16mil from his bonus

  14. Robertg Says:

    32mil dead money and 20ml against the cap. Buccaneers will get back 16ml from his signing bonus

  15. crazyBucs_CL Says:

    Hmm we are wishing and wishing… hoping and hoping…kind of pathetic.
    Mean time other team are building super power football clubs, around exceptional new class of QBs:
    Mahomes, Allen, Herbert, Jones….
    Should us be doing the same?? or HOPING to kick the cane one more year.
    The two years experiment is done. was super successful, but times up.
    The SB team is crumbling in front of our eyes…coaches;money;cap;age….
    Time to BUILD.

  16. Steven007 Says:

    Jimbo, not to mention Adam schefter or Ian rappaport who are the main guys these days with anything breaking. Believe it’s a guess by Jason, perhaps a somewhat educated guess if he does have Intel. But he’s not the top guy typically when breaking these kinds of stories.

  17. Jmarkbuc Says:

    You’re super to “always leave them wanting more”….

    Brady ain’t gonna end up like Jordan and the Wizards..

  18. Steven007 Says:

    Crazy, I kind of see what you’re saying. If you don’t mention his name, the idea of us as a fan base wishing and praying that a soon-to-be 45-year-old quarterback comes back for one more try would be ludicrous. But of course it’s not any other quarterback, it’s Brady. But I do hope the decision is made quickly so that plan b can be implemented or put in place as soon as possible. As Joe mentioned yesterday I believe, lots of dominoes fall after this decision.

  19. HC Grover Says:

    So Brady and the Bucs will steal the spotlight from the Super Bowl. Amazing.

  20. Chris@Apple Roof Cleaning Tampa Says:

    I read the entire article, and don’t know what to think.
    I guess we will all just have to wait and see.
    Of course, I want him to stay another year, but if he does retire, IMHO we are still poised to win the NFC South.
    I took my 10 year old Grandson to see Tom Brady play, so one day he will be able to tell his Grandchildren he watched the GOAT Play.

  21. Buc4evr Says:

    Whatever TB12 decides, I hope he makes the announcement the day of the SB. Payback to Goodell lol.

    As far as the Bucs, Gabbert and Trask are going to sink this team if we don’t sign a starting quality vet.

  22. Steven007 Says:

    With Payton leaving we are better positioned to win the South next season then we were even this year. But if Brady retires, it will take a strong effort to get a starting quarterback capable of guiding this team while the window is still open, for the South at least.

  23. Pickgrin Says:

    This LaConfora dude certainly has the ‘weiner look’ down pat…….

    I bet he’s just throwing chit against the wall – knowing there’s a chance he turns out correct.

    Pathetic attempt of a grab at undeserved relevance if you ask me…..

  24. Bucfan Says:

    Brady is done!! Thanks TB12 for these last 2 years. As a Bucs fan I will always remember our Super Bowl run and the success of this year.
    Go Bucs!

  25. Rob Says:

    My guess is the Bucs already know he is retiring and are begging Brady to announce his decision until after the Super Bowl for one reason. Money. Season ticket holders, including myself, must commit to renewing their season tickets by February 11th and make at least a 25% non refundable deposit. I’m not paying for season tickets to watch Trask/Gabbert. Are you? Go Bucs!

  26. csidedave Says:

    I hope he comes back for one more year but if he is done, this is a very good time to do it. Although he didn’t win his last game, he still went out about as good as you can. He had a hall of fame career with the Pats and then at age 43, went to a completely different team and won a Super Bowl and followed it up at age 44 leading the league in passing and TD’s. Maybe not a perfect ending, but very, very good.

  27. Smashsquatch Says:

    He’s playing. He set a goal to play to age 45. He’s 44, healthy, and still playing at a high level. Next season will be his last year, he’ll announce it before the season begins, and soak up the love on his farewell tour.

  28. down in the dirt doug Says:

    Tom would love to play another year–but I am sure he has newly discovered aches and straines.Fate and his wife can both be trouble and I am not sure Tom wants both to turn against him.

  29. Franco Says:

    The problem is, he could produce at a high level for the next 5 years. His family is not going to put up with this, but two years from now, I can see him signing a 3 year deal. That’s right. Yuuuuuge news.

  30. Wild Bill Says:

    Retiring now is the smart move for Brady. The supporting cast is likely to decline due to injuries and free agency. He does not need the money or more fame. His age is a big risk factor for serious injury. He has a beautiful family that needs him full time. There just isn’t a big enough biscuit for him to risk it! And if he does need or want more money, the media will pay him big bucks. The GOAT can pick and choose which celebrity income sources he wants to do. Tall, handsome, articulate, the media will pay him big time. He can have plenty of biscuit without any risk it.

  31. Nate1111 Says:

    All in on RODGERS!!!!

  32. Cobraboy Says:

    I’d be surprised that Brady would leave the Bucs with a big cap hit. It’s not his style.

    Time will tell.

  33. Cj1984 Says:

    Brady changed the culture of the Bucs franchise so quickly and in the matter of two years it’s all going to be gone. The expectations won’t be there anymore nor the desire to win. I’m not being pessimistic by any means but I’m getting depressed thinking about the stadium being half empty again and when another team visits their fans completely take over the stadium. I’ve been a season ticket holder for some time and it’s just frustrating to witness how the Bucs were finally a team that could be something in the NFL to nothing yet again. Kinda makes me wish Tom never came here because he brought something to the Bucs something everyone wanted for so long and now it will be gone. Wish I could hold on to it for one more year. I just hate to see us go back to “normal” again.

  34. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    ***BREAKING NEWS***

    This just in…..Brady may retire & he may not….the decision is “Imminent”

  35. Terry Says:

    I would think everybody has a bad taste about the way this year ended and wanna come back one more year to show what should have been And call it year of redemption

  36. Bqen green Says:

    Don’t think he’ll play again for the bucs, at least not with the current coaching staff and roster. Brady soured on Arians and many of the assistants. It makes perfect sense for the 9ers. It’s his boyhood hometown team, and the 9ers are ready to win now. It would be the icing on a miraculous career. The family stuff is nonsense. He gets six months off a year, and can afford private planes. It always makes Ben angry when athletes use the family excuse. It’s an insult to the blue collar folks that really don’t get no six months off.

  37. Steven007 Says:

    Bennifer, you have absolutely zero knowledge of Brady’s relationship with the coaching staff. 0. As in nothing. If Brady retires it will be because of all the reasons older athletes retire. And he certainly is not going to leave the Bucs and go to the niners. That is an absolutely ludicrous take. However I do agree that the family stuff is nonsense. He has larger swaths of undivided time with his family than 99% of us. But he’s not retiring because of the coaching staff and he’s not going to the niners.

  38. Alanbucsfan Says:

    If the 49ers win the SB, Jimmy G isn’t going anywhere.

  39. Mike Says:

    Whatever he decides, I’m good with it. Another year to run it back would be great, but if it’s a rebuild/reload/whatever, better to get started on it sooner rather than later I suppose.

  40. sasquatch Says:

    Doubtful he’d go all-in on this one if he didn’t have authoritative sources… but reporters have done dumber things I guess.

  41. SB~LV Says:

    Is Brady going out like a Champion boxer that stayed too long
    Or
    Barry Sanders

    I can see it going either way, one has risk
    The other glory and eternal speculation “ what if he played longer “
    I have no idea!

  42. unbelievable Says:

    Well, that’s definitely a bummer if he’s done, but it wouldn’t surprise me.

    I’ve long thought that the only way he was coming back next year was if they won it all, or at least got the SB, this year. Brady wanted to be the first to ever do a 3-peat. That’s why I was so harsh and critical about the maddeningly inconsistent play of the team all season.

    It was simply inexcusable for what they were trying to achieve (SB + keeping Brady around). They needed to be executing at a higher level, and they failed.

  43. unbelievable Says:

    But I will always be grateful for another SB championship! And even the heart-breaking Rams loss was an insanely exciting game for the 2nd half… But that about sums up the team pretty well this year: They would play well for 1/2 of the game each week. Against inferior opponents that was enough, but not against good teams.

  44. Oxycodoms Says:

    Wouldnt make sense imminent decision for him to stay

  45. Free agent Says:

    I do not blame Mr. Brady, why not leave when you can walk away from the game and enjoy time with your kids. Mr. Brady do not want his family to see him carried of the field wondering if he will be able to walk again. Good luck Mr. Brady and god bless.

  46. Oxycodoms Says:

    Brady announcement that he stays wont take away from super bowl week

  47. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Brady leaving because of the coach?…….29-10 with this set of coaches?……5-1 in playoffs & a SB……yep, it;s the coaches alright.

  48. Bird Says:

    Ben green is a former athletic/ belcheak guy? 😂

    Check out his twitter handle and ask me if he is real?
    MyBumsneedfilling#

  49. DrunkInYbor Says:

    The things people do for clicks. Again 🎵🎶 I heard d it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another you been acting reireeeeddd. 🎵

  50. adam from ny Says:

    all these talking heads are acting like they know something and they don’t know sheet…

    all decisions ultimately go thru the glazers…

    i would think with tom being tom, he will make a list, check it twice, then meet with say joel glazer for a “private meeting” to discuss possibilities, options and constraints…

    he needs to chat with the owners about goals and options moving forward…

    that’s what i think…

    because he is the most important employee of the entire organization…hands down…

    above every top exec and coach…

    sounds crazy, but it’s true…

    he is the michael jordan of the nfl – and currently he plays for the bucs…

    personally i think the glazers know what has walked thru their door, and will give tom what he feels and thinks (2 totally different things) he needs to succeed and be happy here in his relatively short window of time as a buccaneer…

    things got rough in new england towards the end – i don’t see the glazers letting anything like that happen here…

    everything has changed in every aspect since his arrival and the glazers know that…

    it’s like night and day as an organization…

    just a simple story from an ordinary fan:

    my friend in new york orders sunday ticket every year…my one lone bucs pal in nyc…there simply aren’t many there…he told me he only had the ability to watch 5 of the 17 bucs game on sunday ticket this year – all other game were blacked out due to being national exposure games…

    70% of our regular season games were national…it’s insane…

    we are the new america’s team……with tom of course

  51. Bqen green Says:

    Stevey if you think Brady was pleased with the coaching staff this year, you’re either stupid or just plain blind. He got sick of how unprepared and unprofessional the coaching staff is. Was it a nice change for him to be out from under Bill, yes. But winning is like deodorant, it covers up the stink. If the bucs fired arians, and hired McDaniels or Billy O’Brien it would make the decision much more difficult, all ben is saying. They didn’t lose because of injury, or a talent gap. They lost the game because of dreadful coaching, and the goat knows it. Why do you think Brady had a hair across his ass the entire game? He knew they weren’t ready to go, and knew how out coached they were. The only reason it wasn’t a complete annihilation was because the Rams couldn’t hang onto the football. It wasn’t any spectacular defensive plays that caused those fumbles. For a Tom Brady team to be virtually uncompetitive for 3.5 quarters doesn’t happen. Brady has a newfound respect for Bill, because it made his job easier. Arians and that stupid staff made his job harder this year

  52. Cobraboy Says:

    Funny how they won a SB with the exact same “dreadful coaching” and players, huh, bun green?

    You are totally full of crap.

  53. VA Tom Says:

    Reports out his personal assistant is searching for work with other NFL QBs. Sounds like he is done.

  54. UKBuccaneer Says:

    If we’d won the SB Brady might have come back to try 3 in a row. That loss I think ended his career. What does he have left to prove?

    It’s been an incredible couple of years, passed in the blink of an eye. I’m still hurting a week later, but having Tom Brady transform the bucs was a joy to watch.

  55. Your Mom Says:

    I would be shocked if he retires while he is still able to compete at such a high level. He doesn’t know how to live without the competition and the striving.

    If he does announce his retirement, I could see him wanting to play again in a couple months when the reality of life without football sets in.

  56. LakelandSteve Says:

    I think it’s a move to get more control or maybe some type of concessions from the Bucs. Who knows what conversations Brady, Licht and Arians may be having regarding the roster. One thing I think everyone knows is Brady isn’t coming back unless we have a roster with a legitimate chance to win a Super Bowl. If that can’t be done then it makes it easy for him to retire.

  57. BucsFan81 Says:

    Damn wants he retires it will be back to fighting every year just to make the playoffs. We finally started getting fans back in the stadium. I hope we can somehow at least be competitive next year.

  58. SufferingSince76 Says:

    Hey, beengreen with envy. I have just as much information as you saying Brady loves BA and the coaches. As a matter of fact, I talk to Brady and his camp all the time and know your full of it. See how easy it is to talk nonsense like you? I do know you got run from the Pats site for being a perennial dork.

  59. mark2001 Says:

    LOL… anyone really think Brady is worried about taking the spotlight from the Superbowl? In fact, if I were him, I would have no problem in doing so, particularly after that bogus unsportsman call.

  60. Bqen green Says:

    Cobra they won the Superbowl in spite of the coaches. Ben’s not the only one here that thinks this. Todd bowles is a joke. The offense scores 30, and you blitz nearly half the time? It’s not complimentary defense. Brady essentially scraped BAs offense, and it saved the season last year. They also had the benefit of no fans in road playoff games, which makes a huge difference. Nothing wrong with being lucky, it’s needed for most teams post salary cap to win. To give any credit to this abysmal coaching staff for the superbowl win, is just plain nonsense. Coaching matters in the NFL.

  61. Tampabaybucfan Says:

    Let’s see…..I’ve been rooting for the Bucs for over 45 years & we’ve won two Super Bowls….
    I’m not about to abandon either coach that helped us take home that trophy.

    You can…

  62. Buc1987 Says:

    More speculation…..

    I hate the Pats fan invasion of JBF.

    Go away…you’re annoying.

  63. CondorWolf00007 Says:

    Is that the CBS insider inside Brady’s basement or what?… Where he get his information from, Huh? Its comical.

  64. Hodad Says:

    Stick a fork in him he’s done.

  65. Cobraboy Says:

    Cap gurus: what are the implications of a Brady retirement in terms of cap and paid bonus?

  66. Marine Buc Says:

    @ cobra

    I was just going to ask the same thing.

    I know @ $16 million of signing bonus money will be cancelled if TB12 retires now.

    We will still owe him @ $16 million of guaranteed money that still goes against the cap over the next two years.

    So I am assuming we will pay him $8 million in dead cap money over the next two seasons…

    This is just my speculation.

    Perhaps either Joe of Defense Rules could confim…

  67. Marine Buc Says:

    @ cobra

    TB12’s salary for next year is only $8.9 million.

    So that amount would be added to our salary cap for 2022…

    Which would give us @ $20 million in total cap space.

  68. Swampbuc Says:

    THANKS, TODD.

  69. Cobraboy Says:

    @Marine: what about the $$$ already paid? Pro-rated bonus, etc?

    I hope to get some definitive answers.

  70. Steven007 Says:

    Bennifer, would you like some dressing with that word salad? As I said before and will restate here, you have absolutely no intel regarding the relationship between Brady and the coaches. None. 0. Anything you say about it is complete conjecture from your BA hating brain. And that’s the end of that story.

  71. JVZ Says:

    Hey bengreen with envy, I’m Tom Brady’s brother and he told me at breakfast this morning he is going to play until he’s 86.

  72. Steven007 Says:

    1987, the end of seeing number 12 Patriots jerseys at Ray Jay will be the most positive thing from Brady’s retirement.

  73. Bqen green Says:

    Tom Brady has officially retired from the NFL.

  74. Defense Rules Says:

    Marine Bucs & Cobraboy … If you look on Spotrac you’ll see that Brady’s contracts here have been very ‘team friendly’ since 2020 (minimizing CAP hits), but they boggle the mind. That’s what seems to happen with these latest contracts.

    What Spotrac does say is that Brady signed a 2-year $50 mil contract with the Bucs on 20 Mar 2020. One year later he signed a 1-year $25 mil contract extension with the Bucs on 12 Mar 2021. That part’s easy; it’s how the Bucs spread it out that boggles my mind.

    According to Spotrac once again, it looks like he was paid the full $25 mil of his 2020 contract (which was his CAP hit). Fast forward to 2021 though, and it looks like his CAP hit was only $10.5 mil because his signing bonus was spread out over years. It looks like his unpaid signing bonus still totals $32 mil spread out over 4 more years (2022-2025).

    So if TB12 retires, I’d ASSUME that we’d recoup $16 mil of that $32 mil (that was for a 2-year contract, of which he fulfilled 1 year), but that we’d still take CAP hits in 2022 & 2023 for $8.0 mil each year. But I’ll be the first to tell ya that’s just a guess. Who know what else was written into his contracts?

  75. Bqen green Says:

    Take that and smoke it. You heard it from Ben first

  76. Bqen green Says:

    Get ready to be the yucks again

  77. David Says:

    I know I’m biased and trying to be optimistic but I do not buy it for one bit. All he has talked about is playing until he’s 45 and playing as long as he can maintain playing well enough to win a Super Bowl.
    The team is definitely going to be poised to win it all again. The defense should be a lot better simply for the fact that there’s no way they should have that many injuries again. The offense needs a young tight end, Gronk, Godwin and Jensen back. Sign a free agent wide receiver to add into the mix. Make sure Fournette comes back. Let Rojo and OJ Howard walk.

    Basically, he’s playing at a championship level still and there is no reason the team should not be poised to win it all again. They were this year but injuries eventually did them in.

    LFG

  78. Bqen green Says:

    Ben has no insight, Ben is stupid, Ben knows nothing about Brady. Ben also had it before Adam S. Ben told y’all Brady isn’t sentimental. It’s perfect for him to retire in a tweet

  79. orlbucfan Says:

    If Brady retires, so be it. His family starting with Giselle will be relieved.

  80. Bqen green Says:

    Ben’s people tell him it was an easy decision. Superior G was not willing to move to San Francisco, and he wouldn’t play another game with the bucs

  81. Bqen green Says:

    Brady had to beg her to play this year. She understands how important football is to him. He’ll be climbing the walls by training camp. He won’t coach, he won’t take a front office job. Maybe an ownership stake down the road

  82. Defense Rules Says:

    Cobraboy … Saw your comment about maybe Carr or Wilson replacing Brady, but my gut tells me best we’re gonna do is watch Gabbert & Trask battle it out come Spring training. (Assuming that we re-sign Gabbert of course; he’s a FA too).

    Sounds like Josh McDaniels will take over Raiders, and he’ll keep Carr (experienced QB can be a new HC’s best friend). Wilson’s under contract with Seattle for 2022, and no way we could afford a trade given his contract & Dead CAP. And it’s laughable to think that we could afford Aaron Rodgers’ monster salary (even more laughable that we’d want him).

    The rest of the ‘experienced QBs’ who are FAs in 2022 I personally don’t want any part of . Better to go with a newbie like Trask IMO. If he works out, great. If he doesn’t, we’d get to pick high, and hopefully grab a decent QB in the 2023 draft.

    Of course, to some there’s always The Return of Jameis Winston. That’d keep JBF in materiel for years & years.

  83. gp Says:

    mark2001 Says:
    January 29th, 2022 at 1:28 pm

    LOL… anyone really think Brady is worried about taking the spotlight from the Superbowl? In fact, if I were him, I would have no problem in doing so, particularly after that bogus unsportsman call.
    *******************************************************

    Here is a time where (I think) that I am in full agreement with you.

    I’m picturing a one minute add, 1st quarter, with Tom narrating his highs and lows of the past season. Everyone will be thinking he’s “one-upping” big Ben with his retirement statement.
    BUT!!!!!
    The last clip that he narrates will be the one where he is head butted and the point of impact will be frozen on screen,…………..Dramatic pause…………

    DAMN STRAIGHT I’M COMING BACK!!!!!

    BINGO

    Stupor bowl (unexciting) will be officially dead!

  84. brooks Says:

    put your stock in the tb 12 he’s done yalll