Philip Rivers shocked the sports world by coming out of retirement at 44 years old to help save the Indianapolis Colts' playoff hopes.
Now another NFL legend wants in on the action.
And Tom Brady just made one shocking claim that sent NFL fans into complete meltdown.
Brady says he'd "whoop a**" if he returned to the NFL right now
Tom Brady retired from professional football in 2023 after 23 legendary seasons that produced seven Super Bowl championships, five Super Bowl MVP awards, and virtually every meaningful passing record in NFL history.
The 48-year-old Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million broadcasting deal with FOX Sports and became a minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders.
But watching Philip Rivers take the field after five years away from football got Brady thinking about his own playing days.
On The Big Podcast with Shaquille O'Neal, Brady didn't hold back when asked if he could still compete at the NFL level.
"I'd whoop a** right now, to be honest," Brady declared. "I could go out there and play. Give me a month, I could go play with anybody."¹
Brady explained that his preparation wouldn't take long because of how he's maintained his body since retirement.
"I took care of my body great, I mean, I could do it all," Brady said. "What I wouldn't do is make the commitment to play, because it's like, do you really want to commit to playing (the whole season)? That takes a lot of training. I don't want to do that anymore."²
The GOAT faces one problem Rivers doesn't have
When asked on The Herd with Colin Cowherd if he could lead a team to multiple scoring drives if he knew the offensive system, Brady responded with certainty.
"Yes, I certainly could," Brady said. "I think the answer for me would be yes."³
But there's one massive obstacle standing in Brady's way.
"I'm not allowed to anymore because I'm a minority owner of the Raiders, so I can't unretire," Brady explained.⁴
The NFL prohibits players from owning stakes in franchises, and Brady would have to sell his 5% ownership in the Raiders to even consider stepping back on the field.
That's not happening anytime soon considering he's heavily involved in the Raiders' football operations, including their current head coaching search.
Rivers' comeback proves age is just a number
Philip Rivers signed with the Colts' practice squad after Indianapolis lost starting quarterback Daniel Jones to a season-ending torn Achilles tendon.
The 44-year-old grandfather who'd been coaching high school football in Alabama for the past five years got the start against the Seattle Seahawks just three days after signing.
Rivers completed 18 of 27 passes for 140 yards with a touchdown and one interception in a narrow 18-16 loss, nearly leading the Colts to a dramatic road upset with a 60-yard field goal attempt with 47 seconds remaining.⁵
"Very encouraged, there's no question about it," Colts head coach Shane Steichen said. "For him to go out there and do what he did after five years off, to have a chance to win it, get a game-winning field goal — close to it — with 40 seconds left in a hostile environment against a top defense."⁶
Brady half-joked about Rivers' double retirement
Brady couldn't resist poking fun at Rivers for coming out of retirement, especially since Brady himself famously retired and then unretired before playing one final season in 2022.
"Who retires and then unretires and then is ultimately going to retire again? Who does that? That's ridiculous for Philip to do that," Brady joked.⁷
But Brady acknowledged the mental side of quarterback play doesn't fade with age.
"This game is about, for the quarterback, from the neck up," Brady explained. "That doesn't really go away. That's still up there. Do you still have the physical ability to still do it, take the hits, make the throws."⁸
If Brady actually attempted a comeback, he would break George Blanda's record as the oldest player in NFL history at 48 years and four months.
But the $375 million broadcasting contract and Raiders ownership stake make an actual comeback nearly impossible – even if Brady believes he could still compete with quarterbacks half his age.
¹ "Tom Brady Says He'd Still 'Whoop A–' in the NFL in 2025," Sports Illustrated, December 17, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ "Tom Brady on Philip Rivers' Colts comeback: 'I certainly could' still play QB in NFL at age 48," NFL.com, December 12, 2025.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ "Colts QB Philip Rivers nearly leads Indy to dramatic road win: 'This isn't about me'," NFL.com, December 14, 2025.
⁶ Ibid.
⁷ "Tom Brady thinks he could pull a Philip Rivers: Retired QB is convinced he can still play in NFL at age 48," CBS Sports, December 11, 2025.
⁸ "Tom Brady on Philip Rivers Comeback: 'I Certainly Could' Still Play QB in the NFL," FOX Sports, December 11, 2025.
