Tom Brady has intercepted those retirement rumors.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, 45, addressed speculation that he'll be stepping off the field once again, making it clear during a on Oct. 20 press conference shared to the team's Instagram page that he has no intention to do so for the rest of the season. "I love the sport, I love the teammates, and I want to go do a good job for this team like I always have," Brady said. "So, no retirement in my future."
The rumors first started when former Buccaneers QB Chris Simms theorized that the Super Bowl champion could end up leaving the NFL mid-season due to circumstances in his personal life—such as recent chatter surrounding a potential split with his wife of 13 years, Gisele Bündchen.
"This is the one year I feel maybe it might be Brady," he said during an Oct. 18 episode of NBC's "Pro Football Talk Live," adding that "this is a weird year where we're seeing Brady do weird crap and having personal issues."
How does Brady feel about his predecessor's comments? He took in all in stride, joking to reporters two days later, "Well, that's really why I'm here! I'm here to announce, finally, you guys have pushed me to the brink."
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Entertainment News
Brady's press conference comes after Bündchen expressed hope that she'd like her husband to step away from football for good.
"This is a very violent sport, and I have my children and I would like him to be more present," the supermodel shared in a September interview with Elle. "I have definitely had those conversations with him over and over again. But ultimately, I feel that everybody has to make a decision that works for [them]."
And though Brady has now put those retirement rumors to rest, he isn't giving anyone an assist on where he stands with Bündchen. Rumors of an impending divorce have loomed over the couple for weeks and speculation of trouble in paradise was fueled when both Brady and Bündchen recently stepped out without their wedding rings.
Recently, a source told E! News that the couple—who share children Benjamin, 12, and Vivian, 9, and have been married since 2009—have hired New York-based divorce attorneys.
"There has always been a lot of love and passion between them," the insider said. "But now that they have been apart, it seems like this is better for everyone."
