Report details Brady's interesting FA mindset prior to retirement

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So much for Tom Brady joining the San Francisco 49ers. Or Las Vegas Raiders. Or any team, for that matter.

The 45-year-old quarterback announced his NFL retirement for the second time in a one-year span Wednesday, insisting this decision is final.

"I'm retiring. For good," Brady said in a video on social media.

Curran: Brady's final retirement is a fitting end to long football journey

Brady's announcement is somewhat surprising; many believed he'd return for a 24th season and leave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to join a new team that could give him a chance to win an eighth Super Bowl.

It sounds like Brady never really considered joining another team, however. According to ESPN's Jeff Darlington, Brady was mulling either retirement or a return to the Bucs before he called it quits.

That's a bit eye-opening considering Brady's own Tampa Bay teammates -- as well as former Patriots teammates Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski -- thought there was no chance he'd come back to a Bucs team that went 8-9 and flamed out in the 2022 NFC Wild Card Round.

But the fact that a move to another team wasn't really on Brady's radar could be a sign that his family played an important role in his decision. Brady has two children with his ex-wife, Gisele Bundchen, who reside in Florida, and the QB has said in the past that it was difficult to balance his football and family lives.

So, it sounds like Brady was ready to either stay in South Florida to be close to his kids or step away for good to spend even more time with his family. After Wednesday's announcement, we can officially end the speculation about Brady's next stop.

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