CLEVELAND, OHIO – NOVEMBER 27: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers warms up before a game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images)

This Wednesday will mark four weeks since Tom Brady announced his retirement from football for a second time. But considering that his last retirement only lasted 40 days, it’s easy to understand why many fans and pundits still believe he’ll come back for a 24th season.

Before Brady retired, many envisioned the idea of him joining his childhood team in the San Francisco 49ers. The organization is moving on from pending free agent Jimmy Garoppolo. Trey Lance (recovering from season-ending ankle surgery) and Brock Purdy (awaiting UCL surgery) may not be fully healthy by the time Week 1 rolls around.

During an appearance on “The Colin Cowherd Podcast” (h/t David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone), Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle made the case for Brady coming out of retirement to join the 49ers:
“We don’t know what Purdy is going to be in ’23, but we’ll just do a year of Brady, and then we can go back to our model with (the) quarterback on a rookie deal and build around him. I think, if you’re the Niners, you ask Brady again. I think you let the dust settle for a while.

“It just makes too much sense now, especially Purdy, with the surgery being pushed back, which, A, is kind of a sign. Like this whole ‘He’s going to be back at six months’ is not written in stone. B, it does push the timeline already very, very close, best case scenario, (to the start of the season)…

“I think they call Brady again, and if not, then you think about Aaron (Rodgers). But I think you’re looking more (at bringing in) a Jacoby Brissett or an Andy Dalton or a Matt Ryan or someone as a hedge, with Lance, as you try to get him to a point where he can be your guy.”

Brady was also linked to the 49ers when he left the New England Patriots to test free agency in 2020. But of course, the 49ers were keen on sticking with Garoppolo after he helped them to a Super Bowl 54 appearance.

Not that Brady is complaining, because he went on to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his first year there, the three-time league MVP led Tampa Bay to a Super Bowl 55 upset win over the Kansas City Chiefs.

Will Brady actually stay away from football this time, or will the itch to play cause him to end retirement a second time? Stay tuned.