TAMPA, Fla. — Tom Brady said he decided only last week to retire from the NFL after 23 seasons. But when asked Monday if there is a 1% chance he could resume his playing career, he deftly sidestepped the question.

In fact, Brady said he won’t begin his job as the lead analyst on the NFL on Fox until the fall of 2024, which, presumably, leaves him available to return to play at any point next season.

“I think the finality of it was just last week,” Brady told host Colin Cowherd on “The Herd” on Fox Sports radio. “I think the future is always very hard to predict for all of us. Nothing is really guaranteed. But I think you just take it day by day. As my friend tells me, the future happens a day at a time. I’m super excited. I really am. I think there’s a lot of great things ahead.

“I think you need to create space for those things, too. When one thing ends, naturally other opportunities present themselves. You know, I don’t try to make predictions. Sometimes I’m really good with certainty, and I think in this case I’m good with a little bit of uncertainty, even though I have some great opportunities in my professional life ahead. I’m really excited about those things. ”

Brady said he is “super proud” of how he devoted himself to football and the things he was able to accomplish during his 23 seasons in the NFL.

“I felt like I’ve given a lot, I’ve gained a lot. I’ve learned a lot. And life is about, you know, exciting things ahead,” he said. “I think when one thing closes, like football has for me, you know, 32 years of my life, and I look forward to what’s ahead.

“There’s new chapters and there’s new exciting things and there’s new growth and new opportunities. I’m really excited for what’s ahead. I’ve loved my time in football. It’s absolutely an incredible love in my life and it’s hard to make decisions like that, but it’s certainly the right time.”

Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract to be the lead analyst on NFL games for Fox in May 2022. But apparently, he’s in no hurry to get behind a microphone.

It’s left the door open for speculation as to whether he could be coaxed into playing at some point during the 2023 season.

Last August, the Miami Dolphins forfeited a first-round pick in 2023 and a third-rounder in 2024 for tampering with Brady from 2019-20. The Dolphins have said they’re committed to Tua Tagovailoa as their starter, but he missed parts of six games with concussions.

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