Despite announcing his retirement earlier this offseason, rumors have continued to swirl that Tom Brady could come back to the NFL again at some point in the near future. There would be no hurdles to overcome, such as there were for the Washington Commanders reportedly talking to Andrew Luck, as Tom Brady is a free agent.

His contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers expired, leaving him open to signing with any team of his choice should he opt to continue playing. Alas, the reports of Tom Brady purchasing a piece of the Las Vegas Raiders would seemingly put an end to any chances he would have of playing in the NFL in 2023.

Despite that, some people aren’t completely sold that he is out of the game. One of those people is Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman. Aikman didn’t make a prediction that Tom Brady was going to return to the field, but he didn’t predict he was done playing, either.

“I don’t want to speak for Tom,” Aikman recently told TMZ.com, adding that “I wouldn’t rule anything out. I would bet that just nothing is off the table, as far as what may occur during the season or what Tom’s role may be.”

Aikman did eventually give in and say he believes Tom Brady has played his last snap in the NFL, but added, “You just never know.” In that regard, Aikman is 100 percent correct. Things could change in an instant, as all it would take is the right situation opening up for Tom Brady to seriously consider making a return.

Could his purchasing of a piece of the Raiders be the start of that opportunity? Las Vegas signed Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency but he failed his physical. He underwent surgery he wasn’t expected to need after signing and if he fails again his contract can be voided.

That is a situation Tom Brady may be willing to return for. He would be playing under Josh McDaniels, his offensive coordinator during his time with the New England Patriots. Davante Adams is in the fold as an elite target at wide receiver and Josh Jacobs is coming off a season in which he led the NFL in rushing yards.

The pieces are in place for the Raiders to turn things around in 2023. Adding Tom Brady to the mix could be the cherry on top to push them to that next level.