Tom Brady un-retirement buzz intensifies with Dolphins rumor: ‘100 percent in play’

One former Patriots player isn’t giving up hope on a Tom Brady-Dolphins union.

Two days after Brady dismissed rumors that he’s coming out of retirement for a second time, former New England quarterback Scott Zolak — who currently serves as a Patriots radio broadcaster — said he’s not buying it.

“Brady may go to Miami,” Zolak said on NBC Sports Boston. “I think that’s in play. I do. I think the possibility of him coming out of retirement is definitely 100 percent in play.

“You can sit there and look at the kitten tweet from [Tuesday.] Don’t buy that.”

Zolak was referring to Brady’s tweet that read: “Anyone who thinks I have time to come back to the NFL has never adopted a 2 month old kitten for their daughter.”

Scott Zolak (R) is interviewed by Steve Burton after a Patriots-Bengals game on Dec. 24, 2022, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Brady — who announced his NFL retirement “for good” on Feb. 1 — recently purchased a kitten for his 10-year-old daughter Vivian, whom he shares with ex-wife Gisele Bündchen.

Brady’s tweet came the day after NFL Network’s Rich Eisen suggested the idea that the former Buccaneers quarterback “might not be done” playing.

Although Zolak said the Brady buzz started with Eisen, he noted that “multiple people dropped hints” about the seven-time Super Bowl champion potentially coming out of retirement again.

“This isn’t me saying it,” Zolak said. “This isn’t someone close to Brady. It started with Rich Eisen. Eisen’s at the Super Bowl. Multiple people dropped the hints. Colin Cowherd, he knows some Fox people. I don’t think he’s gonna call games. How does that deal get done? How do you sign a guy to that $375 million, 10-year contract to call games, he’s not even gonna do it next year.

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady runs onto the field during introductions against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 8, 2023 in Atlanta, Ga. Getty Images

“I know his handlers have moved to Miami. It’s built for him. He’s looking at private schools for his kids. Cowherd talks about the San Francisco offense. He’s not talking about San Francisco. He’s talking about [Dolphins coach] Mike McDaniel in Miami.”

Brady, who turns 46 in August, said he plans to join Fox Sports as their lead NFL game analyst in 2024, after signing a monster $375 million contract in May 2022. 

On Monday, Eisen said on his radio show that the top rumor he heard from multiple people at the NFL Scouting Combine last week in Indianapolis was that Brady might not be done playing — and to keep an eye out for Miami.

“This one just blew my mind: Tom Brady may not be done after all,” Eisen said. “A couple people were just like, ‘Hang on, just you wait.’

“… The one place that folks are saying to keep an eye out for is Miami. If the Dolphins, somehow or some way get a doctor’s report or piece of information from a medical evaluation of [Dolphins quarterback] Tua [Tagovailoa] that he may not be ready to go, and suddenly there’s Tom Brady sitting in Florida, where his family is located and where he can easily locate himself.”

Tom Brady in his final postgame press conference, following a playoff loss to the Cowboys on Jan. 16, 2023.
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Tagovailoa ended this past season in the NFL’s concussion protocol after he sustained his second documented concussion of the season in a loss to the Packers on Christmas Day.

The Dolphins have committed to Tagovailoa as their starter in 2023 on multiple occasions this offseason.

Prior to his retirement, Brady was set to become a free agent for the second time in his career and was linked to the Dolphins, among other quarterback-needy teams.

Brady also has a history with the Dolphins.

In 2019, Miami reportedly planned to pursue Brady in a pairing with current Broncos head coach Sean Payton.

That plan never came to fruition due to former Miami coach Brian Flores’ race discrimination lawsuit on Feb. 1, 2022.

An NFL investigation later discovered that the Dolphins tampered with Brady numerous times while he was with the Patriots.

The NFL fined Dolphins owner Stephen Ross $1.5 million and suspended him for the first six weeks of the 2022 season.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen with their kids after the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in Feb. 2021.
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Brady’s retirement announcement last month came exactly one year after his first statement, to which he reversed course 40 days later and rejoined the Buccaneers in March 2022, citing “unfinished business.”

Brady is now living in Miami full-time.

Following his split from Bündchen, 42, Brady rented a luxury apartment — worth a reported $70,000 a month — in the exclusive Surfside area in Miami-Dade county, according to Page Six. 

Brady and Bündchen confirmed on social media in October that they finalized their divorce after 13 years of marriage.

The former couple co-parents their two children, Vivian and son Benjamin, 13.

Brady also shares his 15-year-old son Jack with his ex, actress Bridget Moynahan.