Tom Brady: What's a GOAT to do?

Tom Brady can’t retire. It took just 40 days for him to rescind.

He took to Twitter and Instagram to hijack the sports world on the NCAA’s “Selection Sunday” for the March Madness basketball tourney field. Maybe there’s a certain madness to Brady’s decision. Maybe genius madness.

Seemingly, he’s not ready for the broadcast booth. And he’s not ready for Pickleball. He may have no interests beyond football and his glamorous supermodel wife and three kids.

So what’s a GOAT to do?

In the Way Back Time, onetime GOAT Johnny Unitas of the then Baltimore Colts couldn’t retire, either. He finished his career not so electrically as a San Diego Charger.

More recently, another quarterback -- and GOAT, at least to Green Bay Packers faithful -- Brett Favre took his final act to purple-and-yellow Minnesota, much to the dismay of his green-and-gold fans.

In these modern times, Brady contemporary Aaron Rodgers of the Packers also is not retiring. And apparently not moving on.

Brady will be playing his 23rd NFL season in 2022, if he doesn’t again change his mind. At age 44, he led the NFL in yards passing, touchdowns, and completions in 2021. Why would he retire?

He took the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title after the 2020 season, his first there after 20 seasons and six Super Bowl wins with the New England Patriots.

All he did this past season was get his team to the NFC South Division championship.

Other retirees who reclaimed their careers are familiar names: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson of the NBA; the aforementioned Brett Favre and Reggie White of the NFL; and hockey’s Guy Lafleur and Mario Lemieux.

Brady is an anomaly. Even with the protections from contact the NFL has afforded quarterbacks in recent years, it’s still amazing he is healthy and ready to go for Round 23.

Maybe smarter is his Pro Bowl guard teammate Alexander “Ali” Marpet, who announced his retirement in late February at the tender age of 28 after only seven seasons with the Buccaneers. Not even Brady’s return will change the mind of Marpet, who is planning to work in the mental health field.

For Brady, we can be sure it’s not the money. And Lord knows, Brady doesn’t want for more fame. For someone married to Giselle Bundchen, wearing the mantle of the GOAT and having 23 years of gridiron glory is something of a throw-in.