Brady yet to make retirement decision: 'Still going through the process'

Tom Brady said Monday he hasn't made a final decision about his future.

"I'm just still going through the process that I said I was going through," Brady explained on the "Let's Go!" podcast, according to Zack Cox of NESN.

He added: "I think when the time's right, I'll be ready to make a decision one way or another."

Brady's comments come in response to reports that surfaced over the weekend indicating that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback was set to retire after 22 NFL seasons.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion didn't deny the reports, though he said he's taking a day-to-day approach with his decision.

"We're in such an era of information, and people want to be in front of the news often," Brady said, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. "I totally understand that. I understand that's the environment we're in. I think, for me, it's just literally day-to-day with me."

Brady reportedly also contacted the Bucs soon after the reports came out to say he's yet to make a final decision. He still has one year left on his contract as part of a two-year extension he inked in March 2021.

The 44-year-old said after the Bucs' divisional-round loss to the Los Angeles Rams that he'd prioritize his family while deciding whether he'd return to Tampa Bay in 2022. He stated last year that his ultimate career goal was to play until age 45.

"There's a lot of interest in when I'm going to stop playing. I understand that," Brady also said Monday, according to The Athletic's Greg Auman. "It's not that I don't recognize that. When I know, I'll know. And when I don't know, I don't know. I'm not going to race to some conclusion about that."

Brady has shown no signs of slowing down lately. The five-time Super Bowl MVP led the NFL with 485 completions, 5,316 passing yards, and 43 touchdowns in 2021 while helping the Bucs claim their first NFC South title since 2007.

The GOAT helped Tampa Bay win Super Bowl LV last year in his first season with the team. He previously lifted six Lombardi Trophies with the New England Patriots, where he spent the first 20 seasons of his career.