Tom Brady opens up on retirement plans and says 2023 could be last year in NFL

Now approaching 44 years old, Tom Brady is still going strong in the NFL as one of the best quarterbacks in the league.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers star announced his retirement back in February after missing out on the Super Bowl, but quickly reversed his decision just weeks later.

Now back training with the Bucs and eyeing up another play-off run, Brady is ready to participate in his 23rd NFL season.

But Brady is also a realist, and is very aware that he's well into his twilight years as a quarterback.

"I really don't (know when I'll be done playing)," said Brady.

"I would say it's year to year: Could this be my last year? Absolutely. Could I change my mind? Absolutely.

"I've realized I don't have five years left. I want to do it my way. I want to give it everything I got and see where I'm at.

"My body feels really good. I've had a lot of traumatic injuries over the years, but if things go really smoothly and we win, that'd be great."

Brady's initial retirement lasted just 40 days before his competitive side got the better of him and forced him to return.

Speaking of that flash retirement, Brady insisted it felt right at the time.

"I made the decision in the moment, and I felt it was the right thing for the team to let the Bucs know," Brady added.

"You need time to plan. And then through conversations with Bruce [Arians, the team's former coach], Jason [Licht, general manager] and my wife, I felt like I could still play and compete.

"And it's not that I'm any less committed once I say that it's a yes, but I've got a 14-year-old son who lives in New York City - he wants time. My wife, she's been incredibly supportive of my career over a long period of time. So I had to talk with her, you know what I mean?

"Those decisions get made with me as a family. And I have two younger kids, one 12 and one 9 - everyone's got challenging lives.

"I would have preferred to un-retire in July if I wanted to play," he said. "But I couldn't. If I said I'm not playing, they'd make plans.

"So I felt there was a lot of pressure to make a decision quickly. And then ultimately, I just decided, 'Yes, let's do it.' And once I said that, it was like - OK, here we go."

Brady's Buccaneers start the 2023 season on the road to the Dallas Cowboys on September 12.