Tom Brady said he is retired “for good,” but that isn’t stopping speculation that he could take the field for a 24th season -- potentially in Santa Clara.
ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio posited last week that Brady could ditch retirement for the second time in as many years and that the San Francisco 49ers could play a role in his decision. Oddsmakers are evidently open to the possibility of Brady in the Bay, as well.
Our partner, PointsBet, has Brady at +6000 to be the 49ers’ starting quarterback in Week 1. Trey Lance is the favorite at -300, Brock Purdy is next at +185 and Jimmy Garoppolo is not on the board as he enters free agency.
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Arians claims Tom Brady 'wasn't himself' in final season with Bucs
Brady was set to become one of the biggest names in the free agent market since his contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers expires in March. The Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins were viewed as sensible suitors for Brady, but the Brady-49ers connection dates back to the quarterback’s childhood.
The 49ers already have a choice to make when it comes to their two returning quarterbacks. The team invested substantial draft capital to move up and take Lance No. 3 overall in 2021, but injuries kept him to just two games in his sophomore 2022 season.
Injuries to Lance and Garoppolo opened the door for seventh-round rookie Purdy, who won his first seven starts before suffering an elbow injury in the NFC Championship Game. Purdy’s recovery has been delayed due to ongoing inflammation in his throwing elbow, but he is still expected to be healthy before Week 1.
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Whether it will be Purdy, Lance or even Brady under center for that season opener remains to be seen.
Editor's note: All odds are provided by our partner, PointsBet. PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.