We’ve gotten just about everyone’s take by now on the Tom Brady to the 49ers rumors, except of course from the San Francisco players.
That changed on Wednesday, when 49ers safety Jimmie Ward held an Instagram Live, and was asked what he thinks about the rumors.
“I think some of the media is just using that for a story,” Ward said. “I don’t think Tom Brady is coming out of retirement.”
Ward pointed to the fact that Brady already released a lengthy statement announcing his retirement. That’s an interesting fact to point out, as it’s also being used by some as evidence that Brady isn’t actually retired. The thinking goes that Brady would hold a press conference, rather than just release a statement, if he was really retiring from the NFL, as opposed to just being done with the Bucs.
“I’m saying, it doesn’t sound crazy, Tom Brady coming out of retirement to play one more year, but I don’t know,” Ward continued. “Didn’t he come out with his speech, his retirement speech already? So, I don’t know, man. I don’t know, bro.
“Tom Brady, I’m not saying he can’t do it. I feel like he can. He’s proven it, that he can go to another franchise, and win a Super Bowl that year. … But since he retired, I feel like that’s sort of the same situation with Kobe Bryant. When he retired from the Lakers, all the media kept saying, ‘Oh yeah, Kobe said he’s not done. He’s going to come back and play with LeBron [James].’ But he never came back. He was retired. RIP.”
(H/T to 49ers Webzone for transcription)