One NFL team has apparently dropped out of the Tom Brady sweepstakes.
The Dolphins are not expected to pursue the Buccaneers quarterback if he decides to return for a 24th season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reported that Miami is committed to Tua Tagovailoa as their starter in 2023.
Brady, who turns 46 in August, is a free agent for the second time in his career and will eventually make a decision to return for the 2023 season or retire for good.
Tagovailoa had a breakout season under first-year head coach Mike McDaniel and set career highs in passing yards (3,548) and touchdowns (25). The 24-year-old quarterback was in MVP conversations before injuries and concussions sidelined him for multiple games.
Tagovailoa has been in the concussion protocol since Dec. 26 after suffering his second documented concussion of the season in a loss to the Packers on Christmas Day. He will not participate in next weekend’s Pro Bowl Games.
The Dolphins were one of the first teams linked to Brady, which wasn’t a surprise to some, given their history. In 2019, Miami reportedly planned to pursue Brady in a pairing with former Saints coach Sean Payton, but never came to fruition and former Miami coach Brian Flores filed a landmark 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.
Brady spent 20 seasons with New England — winning six Super Bowls — before he signed with the Buccaneers in March 2020 and won another Super Bowl that season.
Brady’s third season with the Buccaneers ended in a loss to the Cowboys in the wild card round.
In what could be the last press conference of his NFL career, Brady thanked reporters for their time covering him in Tampa Bay, but gave no indication about his future plans.
As his free agency continues to stir headlines, Brady has also been linked to the Raiders, 49ers and Titans.
During a recent episode of his Sirius XM “Let’s Go” podcast, when co-host Jim Gray asked about his future, Brady became agitated and said, “Jim, if I knew what I was going to f–king do, I would have already f–king done it,” Brady said. “I’m taking it a day at a time.”
Brady finished the season with 4,694 yards — third most in the NFL — and 25 touchdowns. Although the Buccaneers won the NFC South title, they finished with an 8-9 record in one of Brady’s most challenging seasons of his career.
The 45-year-old Brady navigated a divorce, confirming in October that he and his ex-wife Gisele Bündchen finalized their separation after 13 years of marriage.
Brady and Bündchen have two children together, daughter Vivian, 10, and 13-year-old son Benjamin. Brady also has a 15-year-old son Jack with his ex, actress Bridget Moynahan
Whenever Brady decides to step away from playing football, he will join Fox Sports as its lead analyst, calling the NFL’s biggest games. Last May, The Post’s Andrew Marchand reported that Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million deal with Fox Sports.
