Tom Brady Addresses Patriots Future, Potential Gronkowski Return

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is playing his 20^th season with the team. Will this be his last season? The quarterback is set to become free agent next spring for the first time in his professional career. When asked about his Patriots future, Brady provided a detailed explanation. He talked to Jim Gray on Westwood One Radio’s “Thursday Night Football” pregame show.

“Whatever anybody wants to look forward to, they certainly can,” he said. “That doesn’t mean that I have to do that. I’m in a very unique situation. To play 20 years in the NFL is a blessing for me, and I think I’m really relishing and enjoying everything that’s happened this season.

“And I don’t think you can ever take it for granted that, ‘Oh, I’ll be able to play as many years as I want.’ I’ve just been so fortunate. I certainly have goals to play beyond this year. But at the same time, it’s a contact sport, and any game could be a player’s last game. So I’m not putting any energy into anything beyond this season. I owe it to my team to give every I can physically, mentally, emotionally to this season, and that’s where 100 percent of my focus will be.”

Brady also talked about his former teammate Rob Gronkowski and his potential retirement.

“He’s spoken on that quite a few times,” Brady told Gray. “I think he’s very happy with how things are going in his life, and I think we’re going with the guys that we’ve got. That’s what we’re planning on, and that’s all we can ever do. It’s always his choice, and he’s a young guy, but that’s certainly not any of my thinking at this point.”

Many said that Brady has the power to bring him back.

“No, I wouldn’t say so,” Gronkowski answered on The Adam Schefter Podcast. “I’m truly enjoying my time off, truly enjoying what I found getting into business. I’ve got a lot of things dropping in the next couple of weeks, with my brothers [and] family. I’m really staying busy with it.”

When will he retire?