31 August 2023 , 00:01
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Tom Brady may have retired from the NFL, but he's still feeling "competitive" as the new season approaches.
The NFL will be a different place without Brady, as it'll be the first time since 2000 that the seven-time Super Bowl winner won't feature in the league. However, he will still be involved after investing in the Las Vegas Raiders, and there's still some rumours he could come out of retirement for a second time if becoming a spectator is too difficult for the former quarterback.
That's unlikely though, and instead, he's channelling his emotion into being an owner after also investing in Championship side Birmingham City. Brady now has an NFL team and a football club to focus on, so has been making the most of his first offseason without any physical responsibilities.
His investment has seen him reunite with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, as the pair were together at the New England Patriots back in the day. Brady caught up with his friend and former team-mate during pre-season, and Garoppolo revealed he's still acting as if he's playing.
Clips emerged of Brady in the locker room as the Raiders took on the Dallas Cowboys in their final pre-season game. The Raiders lost 31-16 to the Cowboys, and Brady wasn't too impressed as he took matters very seriously.
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But before the game, he gave Garoppolo advice, and the quarterback was asked about Brady's attitude after the game. "His competitive spirit, it still comes out even just getting ready for the Dallas pre-season game," Garoppolo said.
"He was in the locker room with us. You can feel it — that competitive spirit was coming out a little bit. He was getting a little fiery."
Brady was on the touchline and in the locker room against the Dallas Cowboys (2023 Getty Images)Garoppolo and Brady have spoken about more than just football though, after reconnecting in unlikely circumstances. "We’ve talked about a ton of stuff," Garoppolo added. "On the field, off the field, different types of things.
"He’s got a lot going on right now. Really happy for him and how everything’s going. Hopefully, he’ll be involved a bit here and there this year, but we’ll see."
Brady already has plans for Week 1, as he's set to be a guest of honour at Gillette Stadium when the Patriots host the Philadelphia Eagles. Owner Robert Kraft wanted to honour Brady for his service to the Patriots and the NFL, and is still hoping that the former quarterback comes out of retirement, even for a day.
Kraft has already made an open request for Brady to sign a one-day contract with the Patriots and officially retire as a member of the team. Brady is yet to respond to Kraft's initiation.