TAMPA, Fla. — When Tom Brady unretired last March after 40 days of retirement that obviously wasn’t blissful, he boldly stated the rationale for his return as “unfinished business.’’
On Monday night, the GOAT looked finished.
Very similar to it’s never been good business to bet against the likes of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan, the identical goes for Brady, who’s spent greater than 20 years defying the percentages for the reason that Patriots drafted him within the sixth round 23 years ago.
However the 45-year-old quarterback looked every bit his age in an unsightly 31-14 loss to the Cowboys within the NFC wild-card round at Raymond James Stadium.
The win sends the 13-5 Cowboys to a divisional-round game Sunday on the 49ers.
The loss ends the season for the 8-10 Buccaneers and it begins an offseason of speculation concerning the way forward for Brady, who’ll be a free agent and may either remain in Tampa for a fourth season, play for an additional team (the Raiders or Dolphins?) or retire again — this time perhaps for keeps.
When asked after the sport by The Post what his process shall be as he ponders whether he desires to retire or keep playing, Brady said, “I’m going to go home and get a very good night’s sleep … nearly as good as I can tonight.’’
Asked if he has a timetable, he said, “It’ll just be at some point at a time, truth.’’
The reality about Monday night’s performance was sobering. No moment in the sport higher portrayed Brady as a player ready for retirement than the Buccaneers’ second-and-goal play from the Dallas 5-yard line on the second play of the second quarter.
As Brady backpedaled within the pocket with two Cowboys pressuring him up the center, he pump-faked after which floated an absolute duck to nobody particularly toward the back of the top zone.
Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse, an accidental tourist of sorts, was the recipient of the rare gift from Brady, picking off the pass to finish a 14-play, 70-yard drive with 14:51 remaining in the primary half with Dallas leading just 6-0.
After the sport, Kearse cradled that ball like a new-born child as he trotted triumphantly off the sphere.
Brady after the sport said he was attempting to throw the ball out of the top zone.
“I used to be attempting to throw it out and clearly didn’t get enough on it,’’ Brady said. “It definitely didn’t help our cause.’’
How rare was the gaffe by Brady, a mistake that’s normally reserved for jittery rookie quarterbacks with comfortable feet playing of their first NFL game?
It was his first turnover within the red zone since 2019 when he was still with the Patriots. Brady had made 410 pass attempts, thrown 86 TD passes and rushed for seven more since then.
You might make an argument for that being the worst pass of Brady’s good profession.
On the half, Brady was a paltry 11 of 23 for 96 yards and that ungodly end-zone INT with a 41.2 rating. He finished 35 of 66 for 351 yards with two TDs and one INT.
Brady’s counterpart Dak Prescott, who entered the sport maligned for having won just one playoff game in 4 tries and for leading the NFL in INTs, was 15 of 20 for 189 yards with two passing TD and one rushing TD and a 137.3 rating on the half. He finished 25 of 33 for 305 yards with 4 TDs, no INTs and a 143.3 rating.
The Tom Brady who entered the sport owning almost every significant postseason record for quarterbacks — 35 playoff wins, most games played (47), most Super Bowl titles (seven), most passing yards (13,049) and most touchdown passes (86) didn’t seem like the identical Tom Brady playing Monday night.
That dude wearing the No. 12 white jersey and the pewter helmet looked like an imposter.
Now, the Buccaneers and everybody else involved awaits his decision on what’s next.
“Yeah, I ponder,’’ Tampa Bay tight end Cameron Brate said. “I do know Tom and he wouldn’t need to exit like that. But we’ll see.’’
Brate caught an 8-yard TD pass to make it 31-14 with 2:04 remaining and, just in case that was Brady’s final TD pass, he said he kept the ball.
Bucs center Ryan Jensen, who returned from an August knee injury Monday night and was one in every of the primary teammates Brady called when he unretired, said he’s not going to dwell on what Brady’s decision shall be.
“Eager about it and dreading it isn’t going to alter if he’s back here or if he’s not,’’ Jensen said.
“These past two months I’ve realized my place continues to be on the sphere and never within the stands,’’ Brady said after his unretirement. “That point will come, however it’s not now.’’
After what the world witnessed Monday night — and with a 10-year deal price a reported $375 million to do TV for FOX Sports as soon as he retires in hand — that point for Brady could also be now.
Since the GOAT, on tonight, in the most important game of the season for his team, was the goat.