Cowherd: Brady ending retirement to join 49ers 'makes no sense'

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Colin Cowherd: Tom Brady ending retirement to join 49ers 'makes no sense'

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 2/22/22

The NFL community seemingly cannot go a single day without somebody linking technically still Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady with a move to the San Francisco 49ers at some point this year. Theories put out there claim Brady's recent retirement was more about his alleged dissatisfaction with Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians and/or with the state of the Buccaneers roster than about a desire to stop playing, and it's assumed some within the 49ers view the seven-time Super Bowl champion as an upgrade over veteran Jimmy Garoppolo at a time when 2021 rookie Trey Lance may not be ready to be QB1 for a championship contender.

Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd addressed the topic Tuesday and suggested Brady would've followed an "order" of actions if he was serious about leaving the Buccaneers via a method other than retirement this winter or spring:

.@ColinCowherd isn't buying the Tom Brady rumors:

"I'm supposed to believe the most prepared and detailed athlete of my life is just going to throw a haymaker out and come out of retirement? It makes no sense." pic.twitter.com/mwqGxKy82g
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 22, 2022

"The order isn't 'I’m going to retire and two weeks later, hey, just kidding, I'm going to go play for the Niners,'" Cowherd remarked during Tuesday's edition of his show.

"So Brady retires, stories come out that he's not particularly happy at the end, which Bruce Arians refutes, and now I am supposed to believe the most prepared, detailed athlete of my life is just going to throw a haymaker out there and come out of retirement? It makes no sense."

As Cowherd added, though, the Buccaneers still hold Brady's rights for the 2022 season and, thus, could trade him to San Francisco if they wanted to do the G.O.A.T. a solid for helping them win Super Bowl LV in February 2021. In return, the Bucs would receive a version of Garoppolo ready to serve as their new QB1, and Brady could start for his beloved childhood team for even one year while also mentoring Lance.

Brady currently seems serious about retiring, but common sense suggests some figurative fire must be fueling the smoke that is these constant comeback rumors ahead of the start of the new league year next month.

More must-reads: