Tom Brady Addresses Possibility of Playing for Miami Dolphins

Tom Brady may be retired, but that doesn't mean he's beyond the occasional flirtation with another team. While speaking at eMerge Americas on Thursday, Brady played coy when asked if there was any chance he might unretire and play for the Miami Dolphins.

While speaking in Miami, Tom Brady was asked if he is going to come out of retirement to play for the Dolphins: pic.twitter.com/LxTHjcevrm
— Brendan Kaminsky (@BKaminsky) April 20, 2023

“I will say now that I’m not affiliated with any team anymore, even though I have strong ties with a couple teams, I do have some friends on the Dolphins that I really like,” Brady said. “So, I wouldn’t say I necessarily root for them all the time, but I root for my friends to do well, and several of them play for Miami.”

The Dolphins faced stiff penalties last summer for tampering with Brady from 2019 all the way to 2021, spanning his time with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Allegedly, Brady attempted to force his way to the Dolphins last offseason, but the Buccaneers refused to cooperate with any potential trade.

The emergence of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa last season probably put an end to any hypothetical Brady hookup. Tagovailoa's 105.5 passer rating over his 13 starts led the league, and so long as he remains healthy, he appears capable of leading a winning offense. The Dolphins exercised his fifth-year option earlier this offseason.

Still, Tagovailoa's health isn't a sure thing. The young passer considered retirement after suffering multiple frightening concussions last year. Tagovailoa is set to earn a little over $4.7 million in new money in the fourth year of his rookie contract; if the Dolphins want to be cautious with his health, they could justify rolling with Brady for a year before turning back to Tagovailoa in 2024.

In any case, the fact that Brady isn't insisting on his unavailability is notable. He's come out of retirement before. If the right team makes the right offer at the right time, maybe we'll see the GOAT take the field again.