Phin Phanatic
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Why Tom Brady and the Miami Dolphins may not be done yet

By Brian Miller

TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 23: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 23, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JANUARY 23: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looks on before the game against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Raymond James Stadium on January 23, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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Tom Brady announced his retirement from the NFL. He says it this time it is for real but the Miami Dolphins may lure him back in.

You are thinking, “here we go again” but you would be wrong. No, I do not see Tom Brady joining the Miami Dolphins in March when free agency opens and I do not see him joining the Dolphins for training camp. Tua Tagovailoa is the starting quarterback in Miami…until he isn’t.

Brady has moved to Miami. That makes sense, his kids are in Miami. He wants to be closer to his kids. There is nothing about the Miami Dolphins in that scenario but it could be everything about the Miami Dolphins in this scenario.

The Dolphins have said Tua is their quarterback and during the season-ending press conference, both Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier said they expect Tua back. Tua’s own parents said they expect him back. So why are we talking about Tom Brady? Because the Dolphins said they have a backup plan should Tua get hurt next season.

Another concussion could mean a longer period of missed games. A second concussion could end his season and it doesn’t matter what side of the concussion fence you stand on, another two in the same season will keep Tua out.

Enter Tom Brady. The “Break glass in case of emergency” quarterback.

Brady won’t come out of retirement to play for just anyone. If the Dolphins are winning football games, in the hunt for the playoffs and the division, if the Dolphins are in a good position to win games next year but are missing a quarterback because Tua isn’t available…Tom Brady becomes the talk.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 25: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins takes the field prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium on December 25, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 25: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins takes the field prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium on December 25, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) /

Brady would need the perfect scenario. Yes, the Dolphins need to be winning and there can’t be any indication that Tua could return and be the starter again next year. If the Dolphins picked up the phone and called Brady because Tua will miss four games or more, Brady would likely come back to the NFL. He would be the starter the rest of the year and Tua, when he returned, would take a backseat.

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Is this going to happen? I would predict that it will not but it would be the scenario that at worst brings the Tom Brady “talk”, back into the fold and the one scenario that could bring Tom Brady back into the NFL despite retiring.

This isn’t about Tom Brady taking over the Dolphins because Tua is a risk, not a risk, good, or not good. It’s a backup plan, a, again, “break glass” situation. I don’t think this conversation is dead yet but if Tua stays healthy, Tom Brady will stay retired. If he doesn’t…well, this is a scenario that would be talking about mid-season.

Of course, the other side of all of this is that Tom Brady may actually enjoy not being on a football field!

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