"He's saying goodbye to football" - Tom Brady won't return in 2023, claims former Cowboys star

After enduring arguably the worst playoff loss of his career, Tom Brady gave a long-winded "thank you" message on the podium after the game. Many are speculating about what the message meant for his future.

Speaking on Get Up, NFL analyst and former Cowboys star Marcus Spears explained his expectations for the quarterback to never set foot on a gridiron again. Here's how he put it:

"I think he's saying goodbye to football... Listen, we could talk about the perfect situation and offensive line and the run game... This ain't basketball... People get knocked out out there."

Will Tom Brady play in 2023?

He continued, explaining that the quarterback was so scared of getting hit that it was affecting his accuracy:

"The other thing is you don't want people to remember this about your career... This is football. Tom does not want to get touched in a football game. It's not possible for you not to get touched. We saw him ducking and throwing balls into the ground. Obviously, we saw the interception in the red zone."

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Buccaneers QB Tom Brady's Week 1 triumph becomes Wild Card nightmare

No. 12 at Carolina Panthers v Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Heading into the game, many expected a repeat performance of what happened in Week 1, when the quarterback coasted to a 19-3 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Considering the team had not won a post-season playoff game on the road since Troy Aikman's days, a win for No. 12 was a safe bet for many.

Instead, the beatdown was intense. Dak Prescott threw for 305 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He also completed 25 of 33 passes and rushed seven times for 24 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Tom Brady completed 35 of 66 throws for 351 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

While Brady was toasted through the air, the Buccaneers were also beaten on the ground as Tony Pollard and Ezekiel Elliot combined for more than 100 yards in comparison to 52 combined for Rachaad White and Leonard Fournette.

The Cowboys are now in the divisional round, where they will face Brock Purdy and the San Francisco 49ers in a rematch of last year's playoff game.

If any of the above quotes are used, please credit Get Up and H/T Sportskeeda.