Life is tough without a full slate of NFL games to gamble on every Sunday, so in the meantime we have to make the best with what we have. The fine folks at BetOnline have blessed us with the chance to wager on whether the greatest quarterback of all time will hang up the cleats prior to the start of the 2018 regular season.
Will Tom Brady Retire Before the Start of the 2018 Regular Season?
- Yes (+500)
- No (-1000)
After the Patriots beat the Falcons in Super Bowl 51, owner Robert Kraft relayed Brady’s interest in playing for “six or seven more seasons.” Still, ever since Seth Wickersham wrote a revealing ESPN feature in January detailing the growing rift among the accomplished trio of Brady, Kraft, and head coach Bill Belichick, the media has speculated about Brady’s desire to keep playing, especially after the team’s Super Bowl loss to the Eagles in February.
The story produced such a stir that Brady, Kraft, and Belichick released a joint statement in response, detailing their “very good and productive working relationship” and stating that they continue to “share a common goal.”
Before the Super Bowl, Brady even said that he was planning to play in 2018 in speaking with Westwood One’s Jim Gray.
Feb. 4 pic.twitter.com/ZJzqkxOAGS
— Chris Wesseling (@ChrisWesseling) April 18, 2018
So why has BetOnline posted odds on whether Brady will retire? Mostly because of Adam Schefter’s report that Brady still has not committed to play in 2018, even though people who know him believe he will be back for the coming season. The director of Brady’s Facebook documentary Tom vs. Time tweeted in response, “For the record: no comment.” Also Brady didn’t report to the Patriots’ voluntary offseason workout program.
C’mon, fam. Schefter’s report has two quotes from sources that both believe Brady will ultimately play this season. He told his wife that he wanted to win “two more Super Bowls” in Tom vs. Time. Brady is currently in Qatar with his family, but he reportedly is continuing his normal workout regimen and diet.
Verdict: Rumors always reach a fever pitch around draft time. The football gods have given us the chance once again to make money on the Patriot Way, this time in April. Play No (-1000). The most accomplished and competitive quarterback ever isn’t going to retire before the beginning of the 2018 season. Just ask him.
Pictured: Tom Brady
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
