A couple of weeks ago, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was quoted in an ESPN article saying that the team initially wanted Tom Brady to be the team’s starting signal-caller for 2023.
Somehow, the story flew under the radar, which is really weird considering the 49ers are one of the NFL’s most popular teams and Brady may be the most recognizable figure in the sport.
Regardless, Brady was finally asked about it on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, and he gave a rather diplomatic answer when prompted.
“In this last season, there’s a lot of different things that people would suggest, but I kind of just kept my mind focused on where I wanted to go,” Brady said. “Again, this was a great year for me to sit back and watch and learn and get prepared for being in the Fox booth next year.”
The fact that Brady didn’t answer the question directly is an implication that he was, in fact, approached by San Francisco to take the reins under center for this season.
With Purdy preparing to lead the Niners in the Super Bowl, it’s no surprise that Brady would want to keep this story quiet and avoid causing any potential media stirs heading into Feb. 11.
Brady retired from the NFL after last season, but based on the way he played during his final campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it seemed pretty clear that he had plenty left in the tank. The future Hall-of-Famer threw for 4,694 yards, 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 66.8 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 90.7 in 2022. He led the league in both completions and attempts, marking the second straight year Brady paced the NFL in each category.
The 46-year-old grew up a 49ers fan, so it shouldn’t come as much of a shock that Brady may have given serious consideration to playing quarterback for his childhood ballclub.
Of course, Tom Brady opted to stay retired, which was probably the best decision given his age and the fact that Purdy seems perfectly capable of leading the franchise.
San Francisco will battle the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
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