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5 times Tom Brady has said he wants to play until 45 years old (which is now) and beyond

Happy birthday to Tom Brady, and it’s a big one for the GOAT.

He’s turning 45 years old on Wednesday, which is a big deal for a variety of reasons — he’s doing something that no one else has done as an NFL quarterback at his age.

But it’s also significant because it’s a number that he’s spoken about many times. Forty-five is the age at which he’s landed on multiple times in the past as when he’d like to play to … and beyond.

So as we hand out the cake and balloons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, let’s run through those quotes:

1
2015: A leaked email mentions it

Thanks to one of the emails from the Deflategate saga (via Business Insider), we know that Brady told a friend, “I’ve got another seven or eight years.” That would put him around … 45!

2
2017: Here comes that number again

From ESPN.com, when he was 39:

Despite the biblical plague of locusts that visited much younger Madden cover men, Brady’s history says the 2017 NFL season will be to this curse what the 2004 American League Championship Series was to the Curse of the Bambino. His history also says he’ll play at a higher level beyond his 40th birthday, on Aug. 3, than anyone before him in any contact sport. He maintained in the 45-minute phone interview that time is on his side.

“I always said my mid-40s,” Brady said of the prospect of retirement, “and naturally that means around 45. If I get there and I still feel like I do today, I don’t see why I wouldn’t want to continue.”

3
2018: 45, but in Spanish!

On this Instagram post from ESPN …

He wrote this comment:

4
2019: The reasoning behind the number

Via NBC Sports Boston:

“I think I have always said 45 just because that’s a good goal to set because that is one that has been pretty hard to get to for most guys. I think you have to have goals — you have daily goals, you have yearly goals and you have long-term goals,” Brady said. “I think for me it’s really just the love of football. I don’t know if or when I will ever not love it. That’s the thing.

“I don’t know, it’s just some people are maybe great guitarists, there’s great chefs, there’s great lawyers, there’s great artists, actors, you name it. I think if you really love it, why should you stop? You just love it. I don’t know how to explain it other than I love doing it and that is enough for me.”

5
2021: BEYOND 45?

He definitely would consider that! Which really isn’t a surprise.

6
BONUS: Bill Belichick weighs in about Brady playing until 50

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