Philip Rivers’ decision to unretire at 44 has left the football world stunned. The Indianapolis Colts lost quarterbacks Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard to injuries, and their options looked thin. Then Rivers suddenly announced he would return, five years after his last snap for the Colts. Naturally, fans immediately wondered if NFL legend Tom Brady could do the same at 48.

So, recently on “The Herd” show on Fox, Colin Cowherd voiced the fans’ question when Tom Brady joined him for a discussion about Rivers’ unexpected return. Cowherd asked Brady if he could still lead an NFL offense to multiple scoring drives, especially if he already knew the system the way Rivers knows Indianapolis. But Brady’s response was surprising.

“Yes, I certainly could,” Tom Brady replied. “I think the answer for me would be yes. But I’m not allowed to anymore because I’m a minority owner of the Raiders, so I can’t unretire.”

Brady made it clear that it isn’t age holding him back. It’s an NFL rule. The NFL does not allow active players to hold ownership stakes in franchises. So, since October 2024, when owners approved Brady’s bid to become a limited partner of the Las Vegas Raiders, he fell under that restriction. So while the idea of another Brady comeback excites fans, the rulebook says NO.

But of course, fans also remember how Tom Brady famously retired in February 2022 after playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, only to unretire 40 days later. Back then, he had no ownership ties and returned for the 2022 season. After that final year in Tampa, he retired for good and shifted to his role as FOX Sports’ lead NFL analyst. But even now, he still makes fans wonder whether that competitive spark remains.

Let’s not forget: Tom Brady was still performing at a high level in 2022. In the 2022 NFL season, he threw for 4,694 yards, 25 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. He also became the oldest quarterback ever to start an NFL game as he played the entire season at age 45. So it’s fair to ask: if not for the NFL rule, would Brady actually consider another run? His answer suggests it’s possible.

However, as Tom Brady mentioned, his playing days are officially over because of his ownership stake in Las Vegas. So if he wants to prove that a QB in his mid-40s can still compete in the NFL, he’ll have to root for Rivers.

Tom Brady reacts to Philip Rivers’ decision to unretire

Philip Rivers last played as a QB in the NFL back in 2020 at age 39. So, Tom Brady was older than Rivers is now when he played his final season. Still, Rivers currently sits on the Colts’ practice squad. His path back to a starting role isn’t guaranteed, and many NFL execs have predicted it to be a disaster. But that did not stop Brady from poking fun at the whole situation.

“Who retires and then unretires and then is ultimately going to retire again?” Tom Brady said. “Who does that? That’s ridiculous for Philip to do that.”

The irony isn’t lost on anyone. But Tom Brady followed that jab with real support for Rivers.

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“Good for him,” Tom Brady said. “I’m happy he’s doing it. I’m very excited to watch Philip play. If he’s out there, it’s just very cool. It speaks to how much he loves the game and really what he’s able to do still.”

Recently, Colts head coach Shane Steichen has also left the door open for Rivers to start against the Seattle Seahawks this week. But fans and critics have been wondering whether Rivers is in NFL shape. However, Tom Brady made it clear that he believes the real test for Rivers won’t be physical.

“This game is about, for the quarterback, from the neck up,” said Tom Brady. “We used to have a saying at Michigan, ‘The mental is to the physical as four is to one at the quarterback position.’ That doesn’t really go away. Do you still have the physical ability to still do it – take the hits, make the throws, the drops, buy a little time in the pocket? If Philip has been practicing those things, then we’re all going to see it on full display in Seattle on Sunday afternoon.”

Moreover, Rivers has practiced with the Colts this week. But his conditioning and Leonard’s health will ultimately determine whether the 44-year-old QB steps onto the field for the first time in nearly five years. Still, one thing is clear: if Rivers defies the odds, no one will be watching more closely than Tom Brady.