Tom Brady announced he is not ready to retire from the NFL on Instagram, and stars from David Beckham to Venus Williams have voiced their support
- Tom Brady announced on Instagram that he plans to play in the NFL during the 2020 season.
- Teammates and celebrities alike praised the post, as well as other athletes who have enjoyed long careers, including Venus Williams and David Beckham.
- His contract with the New England Patriots is up, making him a true free agent for the first time in his career.
- It's tough to imagine Brady playing anywhere besides New England, but teams from across the league will at least get to make an offer.
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Tom Brady has indicated that he plans on being back in the NFL for the 2020 season.
On Wednesday, Brady posted a photo on Instagram thanking Patriots fans for their support and encouragement throughout the season. At the end of the caption, Brady wrote, "In both life and football, failure is inevitable. You don't always win. You can, however, learn from that failure, pick yourself up with great enthusiasm, and place yourself in the arena again."
"And that's right where you will find me," Brady said. "Because I know I still have more to prove."
Some of Brady's contemporaries who had also enjoyed long careers in professional sports were quick to praise him in the comments.
"Yes sir," wrote David Beckham. "You have nothing to prove, but so much to give!" wrote Venus Williams. "Biggest fan. Rock on."
Brady's NFL future was a question when the Patriots' season came to an end on Saturday with a 20-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans in the wild card round.
Brady is already 42 years old and would be 43 at the start of the 2020 season. His contract with the Patriots came to an end this year, leaving some to think he might have been putting the NFL behind him.
Instead, it looks as though Brady is not entirely done with professional football, though as a free agent for the first time in his career, he'll now have the ability to choose where he plays out his final seasons in the NFL.
After spending two decades building the Patriots into the greatest dynasty in NFL history alongside head coach Bill Belichick, it's tough to imagine Brady playing anywhere else. Still, with his contract now up, any team in the league can make their best offer to attempt to convince Brady to spend his final football years with them.
As for now, Brady is back for 2020. We just don't know where he'll land.
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