Tom Brady fancied one more crack at the NFL – but the league wasn't having it.
The seven-time Super Bowl champion revealed he actually approached the NFL about making a comeback while holding his minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders.
"They don't like that idea very much," Brady told CNBC. "We explored a lot of different things, and I'm very happily retired."
It turns out league rules are pretty clear on this one – active players simply cannot own any part of a franchise. They'd need to sell their stake before signing with any team.
Tom Brady wanted to get back on the field again but was denied the chance
| PAThe 48-year-old insists he's content with life after football.
Brady's playing days spanned an incredible 23 seasons, split between the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
He collected those seven championship rings along the way, cementing his status as arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
Retirement hasn't exactly been straightforward for the legend, mind you.
He first stepped away from the game in 2022, only to have a change of heart just 40 days later.
Tom Brady is a busy man these days and has roles with Fox Sports, the Raiders and Birmingham City but becoming a majority owner of an NFL franchise will require much more capital
| PAThat brief retirement proved to be a false start – he returned for one final season before officially hanging up his boots in 2023.
When asked about potentially becoming a majority owner of an NFL franchise, Brady was refreshingly honest about the financial realities.
"I gotta work pretty hard. I paid ordinary income taxes for a very long time in the NFL," he explained on FOX Business' "Mornings with Maria" on Thursday. "And these valuations have gotten very expensive."
But it's clear money isn't the only factor – he genuinely loves what he's doing now.
"I certainly love my role at FOX," Brady said, praising his broadcasting partnership with Kevin Burkhardt and describing the unexpected joy he's found in front of the camera.
Brady became a minority owner of the Raiders back in October 2024, though he's quick to point out there's no real job description that comes with the role.
Tom Brady won 7 Super Bowls in his time in the NFL | Getty"I don't have really a daily role," he admitted. "My phone call is always available to everybody who needs it.
"I want to see everyone succeed, be their best, bring a winning kind of a culture to Las Vegas – to bring the Raiders back to glory."
As for any lingering doubts about his retirement? Last week's Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles put those to rest.
"If anything, that game reconfirmed to me that I'm very happy in my retirement," Brady said.