Should Brady have retired after last season?

vetinari

I know the guy lives and breathes football but surely there's nothing left in the game for him at this point.

The Patriots had the greatest ever comeback in a Superbowl last season and he cemented his position as the GOAT by winning a fifth Superbowl.

I can only think of two major achievements that he hasn't yet got in his career.
Win 3 Superbowls in a row or have a perfect season (that ends with a Superbowl win)
He's pretty unlikely to achieve either of those.

Given he has made tons of money (wife has plenty more) and has a young family, it shouldn't be worth it to him at this point of his career. He's setting himself up to end his career on the back of some really bad injury.

On a minor point, if he had retired at the end of last season, there'd be some mystique to it.
Players like Barry Bonds enhanced their legacy by going out with something left in the tank.

helimachoptor

I think he's still got another 2 years in him and even after that he'd be better than most QBs

I think Brady given he's been so good, will know when its time.

OldMrBrennan83

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TOss Sweep

Simple answer Nope.

More power to him if he wants to continue playing. He clearly is in good health and oddly enough these last couple of years looks in better shape than he previous years.

I think if the Pats do it this year again I think he might consider riding off into the sunset.

Itssoeasy

Tom brady should keep playing as long as he and the pats think he can contribute to the team. So to answer your question no he shouldn't have. The only thing that him playing on is doing is delaying his induction in canton. I think he's a nailed on first ballot HOF.

bruschi

I'm not usually one to put much pass on the top 100 rankings or other such "popular vote" type things, but at the same time, Brady was voted no 1 this year of all players. He was second to Matt Ryan in the MVP. He won the Superbowl MVP. Disregard his age and look at his playing ability. If a player in any sport quit whilst being considered the current best player around, it would be a huge shock. Usually a top end player like that may retire after a championship win, but also usually when they are fading into obscurity and not playing well, alá Peyton Manning who did it perfectly. Superbowl win, and nothing left in the tank.

Brady has shown he has plenty left in the tank. No reason whatsoever for him to win other than if he was bored. and he certainly isnt.

As to the above and Canton, you dont have to think or guess he'll be a first ballot hall of famer, he most certainly already is a first round ballot hall of famer.

vetinari

Well he's the greatest of all time so he's definitely first ballot HOF.
Brady is in an unique spot compared to pretty much any other player.
Last season gave him the ring to separate himself from Montana
He has absolutely nothing left to prove and has earned way more money that he can ever spend.
Would people's opinion change if he sustained a career ending injury during this season?

bruschi

vetinari wrote: »

Would people's opinion change if he sustained a career ending injury during this season?

in what way? My opinion would be that I'd be crushed as it would severely dent the Patriots chances of another superbowl and it would be a sad unfulfilled way to end. Regardless of what he does this season or after, you have to judge the decision on the here and now. And that says he should continue. If he ends up being crap this year and useless and the Patriots go 8-8 and no playoffs, it will still have been the right decision.

Brett Favre played a season too long, but he needed that last season as he would have always felt his career wasnt over and he could have went on. By playing out his final year, and playing poorly, he knew there was nothing left to give and time was up.

TOss Sweep

vetinari wrote: »

Would people's opinion change if he sustained a career ending injury during this season?

Nope. Can't live by the what ifs. Whatever he does it is the right decision. HE is his own man and until someone tells him he can't play anymore it will always be his decision and as I said previously more power to him.

eagle eye

He still has things to play for like legacy things. More Superbowls obviously to leave no doubt anywhere as to who is the GOAT, even though it's pretty much accepted he is now.

He is also not far off a lot of records in the NFL and he is going to start going to the top in those this coming season.

The one he is unlikely to get even with another three years is yardage leader. Drew Brees will have that in a season and a half and he is 5k ahead of Brady.

raze_them_all_

no, unlike manning brady was the reason his team won, not in spite of him

j8wk2feszrnpao

vetinari wrote: »

but surely there's nothing left in the game for him at this point

Ring #6?
He did an interview before the SB, and he basically said he was enjoying himself way too much to retire.
He's in great shape, still playing at an elite level, and has that same drive as always. I always remember a quote from Tony Ward (ex Ireland rugby player) "Nothing compares to playing the game".

HigginsJ

No way should he have retired, he looked as good as ever last year, he deserves great credit for the way he looks after his body. His game is so based on the mental side that I could definitely see another couple of years where he is a top 5 QB.

Also last year would have been good with extending his career in missing the 1st 4 games of the season, he could probably do it every year for the rest of his career, the Pats would still be a top seed and he'd be fresh in the post season.

mcgratheoin

vetinari wrote: »

Players like Barry Bonds enhanced their legacy by going out with something left in the tank.

Yeah, he had plenty of juice left in the tank :rolleyes:

human 19

To go so far in any sport and reach such a peak apart from natural talent, you have to be personally Driven. Have the killer instinct. They dont think about bowing out gracefully at any stage unless it has become clear over some time that they are starting to lose it and are not among the best any more. While such a player still thinks they are capable of Winning, they will keep going.

When it starts to become clear that the arm or the eye is going and the end is in sight, they might start thinking of legacy and records before bowing out,
Im thinking , for example, of Peyton from a couple of years back.

BizzyC

Brady's dad has said himself that Tom's career will end "ugly".

He's not the kind of guy who'll bow out gracefully, he's going to continue playing until his skills are diminished.

LuckyLloyd

He'll be retired long enough. He's still healthy, doesn't have a history of concussions or major joint injuries. He's the ideal candidate to keep competing as he's not in risk (at present) of major consequences later in life by doing so.

When the cliff comes, it will come suddenly and it will be a very steep drop off. But that's okay - rather retire knowing he's done than leave now and be wondering in November whether he could have had another run to the title. He'll rest easier in the former scenario. I also admire the fact that he hasn't allowed speculation on the subject or grandstanding around it ala the nonsense Favre had everyone endure multiple years.

NapoleonInRags

He'll know himself when to retire when he loses a bit of his speed....:D

eagle eye

NapoleonInRags wrote: »

He'll know himself when to retire when he loses a bit of his speed....:D

He should have retired before he started so!:D

KrustyUCC

Thing is a successful season for the Pats/Brady is a SB win

Nohing else will do so no margin for error

vetinari

mcgratheoin wrote: »

Yeah, he had plenty of juice left in the tank :rolleyes:

Oops, wrong Barry! Meant to say Barry Sanders!

eagle eye

KrustyUCC wrote: »

Thing is a successful season for the Pats/Brady is a SB win

Nohing else will do so no margin for error

While some fans have started to think that way I don't think that is the case. I'd imagine if you make it to the Conference final that it's been a very successful season. When you get to that stage you are playing against the best normally so a loss there isn't the end of the world, it's just the end of your season.

A winning record is a very good season in my book, winning your division is excellent and anything after that is just pretty awesome.

StringerBell

BizzyC wrote: »

Brady's dad has said himself that Tom's career will end "ugly".

He's not the kind of guy who'll bow out gracefully, he's going to continue playing until his skills are diminished.

Was more a reference to how it will end in New England in his opinion, he feels it is destined to go that way unfortunately, that it will end ugly because Tom won't ever be ready to leave but the organisation and BB in particular will make that decision for him.

Impossible to think about Brady in another teams uniform though, hopefully there is another year or two there for him and he is happy to walk away on his own terms.

I think he will need to have that bad fall off a cliff type thing though for him to want to walk away from football. He genuinely loves playing, still puts so much in to it and has so much discipline in his personal life all geared toward giving him the best shot at showing his best on the field.

ELM327

eagle eye wrote: »

While some fans have started to think that way I don't think that is the case. I'd imagine if you make it to the Conference final that it's been a very successful season. When you get to that stage you are playing against the best normally so a loss there isn't the end of the world, it's just the end of your season.

A winning record is a very good season in my book, winning your division is excellent and anything after that is just pretty awesome.

Maybe that kind of logic works in other teams but I can't see anyone in the Pats being happy with a winning record and no playoff appearance, or winning the division but 1 and done in the playoffs.

Conference championship and SB appearance should be the minimum expectation for this team.