After the Buccaneers’ heartbreaking loss in Sunday’s divisional game against the Rams, the question has risen and become the NFL’s hottest topic: Is Tom Brady going to finally retire after 22 years? As a die-hard Patriots and Tom Brady fan, it pains me to write such, but for the first time in a while it seems like his retirement might actually be imminent.

Sunday’s divisional match turned out like none other. Brady and his Bucs fell into a 27-3 hole in the third quarter, with problems on all sides of the ball. Brady had thrown a costly interception, and defense wasn’t holding up as it should. But things started to turn when the Bucs forced a couple turnovers and the offense started to produce more points. Before we all knew it, a fourth down touchdown tied the game at 27 with 42 seconds remaining. The Rams proceeded to drive down the field, kick a field goal, and win the game 30-27. The Tom Brady orchestrated comeback had fallen short, and the Bucs’ season was over.

It’s not like Brady’s season was anything near disappointing, though. The 44 year old quarterback led the league in completions, passing touchdowns, and passing yards, all while being elected to his record breaking fifteenth Pro Bowl. Brady had a top three statistical season of his career, and the Bucs finished the regular season with the number two seed in the NFC, despite being ridiculed with injuries on both sides of the ball. But now that their hopes of going back-to-back are ended, the attention shines on their quarterback’s commitment moving forward. Brady is signed through the 2022 season, which would be his age-45 season, one that he has expressed highly about reaching as a personal goal. It’s not like we have seen signs of the Brady reign ending on the field, so let’s look at the factors that be.

The biggest factor going into this decision would be family. Brady has three children, and wife Gisele that he has said will help make the decision with him. The 44 year old has expressed that he wants to spend as much time with them as possible, but football has prohibited this. Every offseason Brady has been apart of in the past five or so years has predicted this, but this time things seem to be different. The next factor is physicality. Could Brady still do it physically? The answer is simple: yes. There is no doubt his body has taken a toll over the years with the hits he has taken becoming the NFL’s all time most sacked quarterback. But the TB12 Method he lives and breathes by has in fact helped him play into his 40s at the high level that he is.

I personally think the biggest factor is family and the drive to play. It’s not that he wouldn’t be able to play if he retired, it would be under the assumption that he doesn’t have the drive he did before as he is away from family so much. If he does decide to retire, there is no doubt we have seen the greatest career out of an NFL player and one of the greatest sports careers of all time through an incredible display of leadership, drive, and consistency.