Tom Brady made his first public interview appearance since his retirement announcement last week. The seven-time Super Bowl champion joined Colin Cowherd on The Herd and discussed his emotional makeup after parting ways with the gridiron. And there was a major cue for fans to think of and predict a comeback.

TB12 mentioned his post-retirement plans with Fox Sports’ NFL broadcasting and analysis crew. However, contrary to expectations, Brady will not be present at Super Bowl LVII this weekend. And to make things more interesting, Tom has pushed his network commitments back to the fall of 2024.

Fans have not discounted a second retirement comeback

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost to the Dallas Cowboys to end their 2022 season in the wild-card round of the playoffs. And Brady announced his second and final retirement a few days down the road. However, his wish to join the Fox crew in 2024 has raised some eyebrows. Does the G.O.A.T. intend on one last dance?

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“Talked to Fox Sports and the leadership. And they are allowing me to start my Fox opportunity in the fall of 2024. That’s great for me,” Tom Brady told Cowherd. And fans immediately pounced at the open possibility of a return to the field.

One fan asked in the comments, “so you’re telling me there’s a chance?” Another one optimistically commented, “Bros keeping a year open just in case.” “Something’s fishy,” another fan wondered. TB12 will join Kevin Burkhardt and replace Greg Olsen on the Fox desk. “Greg Olsen, you can breathe a sigh of relief,” one fan noted.

Tom Brady has an explanation for the 2024 Fox start

Fans and experts who saw the full interview on The Herd will know that Brady is holding off his broadcasting debut to gain some expertise in the field. “Take some time and really learn. Even in the future, I want to be great at what I do. And that always takes some time. Strategizing. Learning. Growing and evolving,” the 15x Pro Bowler and 6x All-Pro explained his decisions.

Conspiracy theorists and die-hard Brady fans can still keep the tiny sliver of hope in their hearts. When Cowherd asked TB12 if there was even a 1% chance of him returning to the gridiron, Brady had a long answer ready for Colin. However, nowhere in that answer could fans hear a distinct ‘No’ to the host’s questions about an imminent comeback. “Return for one more year,” one fan begged Brady.

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For now, it’s spending time with the kids and getting ready to watch the showdown between Patrick Mahomes‘ Chiefs and Jalen Hurts’ Philadelphia Eagles for the Lombardi this Sunday.