Tom Brady is welcome back with Bucs, says GM, amid reports retiree is trying to reunite with Gisele

Tom Brady is welcome back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the event the 45-year-old retiree wants to make another NFL comeback.

Bucs GM Jason Licht told reporters at the pre-draft combine in Indianapolis that he’d lead the proverbial light on for Brady.

‘Maybe a flashlight,’ Licht joked, adding that he thinks Brady is really retired this time and at peace with his decision – his second retirement in the last calendar year.

Brady is still on the Bucs’ books for 2023, due to some deferred compensation. With the NFL salary cap set at $224.8 million per team in 2023, Brady will count for $11 million, and about $24 million the following season. Had he returned, Brady would have counted for $35 million against the team’s cap figure in 2023.

Licht’s comment came amid a bizarre report that Brady’s inner circle is pushing him to launch a stand-up comedy career to win back ex-wife Gisele Bundchen.

Tom Brady is welcome back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the event the 45-year-old retiree wants to make another NFL comeback. Bucs GM Jason Licht (right) told reporters at the pre-draft combine in Indianapolis that he’d lead the proverbial light on for Brady (left) 

According to RadarOnline, Brady wants to try his hand as a comic in a last-ditch attempt to reunite with his supermodel ex. They divorced last October following 13 years of marriage – a move that followed Brady’s decision to unretire to play a 23rd NFL season.

TMZSports, meanwhile, say Brady is in talks with Netflix over the ‘roast special’ which apparently has a working title of ‘The Greatest Roast of All Time’ but claim he is not pursuing a full career in comedy.

Radar adds that Brady’s people are not encouraging him into a new comedic career path. A source is quoted by Radar as saying: ‘Tom was a terrific quarterback, but he needs to toss this idea before it’s too late. As a comic — he’s strictly a water boy.’

That said, there were some compliments for his sense of humor.

‘He does a great impersonation of former teammate Rob Gronkowski and his over-the-top Boston accent is hilarious,’ the source also told Radar.

Brady has also hit pause on the blockbuster 10-year, $375million deal waiting for him at Fox Sports to be an analyst during the NFL season now he has retired.

He won’t start that role until 2024, saying he needed to decompress from football but Radar claims it’s actually because he wants Bundchen back.

‘The biggest obstacle between them was Gisele’s complaints about Tom putting football before family, so he decided to show her he’s willing to focus on them before taking the job at FOX,’ an insider is quoted as saying to Radar. ‘His only goal right now is to get his family back.’

The night before Brady confirmed his retirement, he was on the red carpet in Los Angeles for the premiere of his ’80 for Brady’ film – a comedy – alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Rita Moreno.

‘The ladies were super nice to him and he did a nice job reading professionally written material in a small part — but he’ll be playing in a whole different league if he takes up the stand-up stage,’ Radar quoted an insider.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen attend the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costu

The next day Brady posted his emotional retirement video but joked to his fans that ‘You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year’

Brady’s people are reportedly trying to stop him from attempting a career as a stand-up comic

Brady announced his retirement from football the next morning and insisted that he is not going to change his mind this time around.

‘I’m retiring, for good,’ Brady said in a video on social media on February 1. ‘I know the process was a pretty big deal last time so when I woke up this morning I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first.

‘It won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year.’

The 42-year-old Bundchen replied to Brady’s video saying: ‘Wishing you only wonderful things in this new chapter of your life.’

While he’s considered a friendly figure away from football, humor has never been something massively associated with Brady, aside from his film. He has always approached sport with an intense and laser-sharp focus and at times, his temper has gotten the better of him.

Last year, he was filmed ranting at his Tampa Bay Buccaneers teammates in a meltdown midway through a game against the New Orleans Saints. He apparently broke two tablets in his moment of fury and admitted on his Let’s Go! podcast that he was ‘pretty p***ed’.

Brady recently played a small part in a comedy film  – ’80 for Brady’ – and the night before his retirement video attended the premiere with Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Rita Moreno

But it seemed to have the desired impact – the Bucs beat the Saints 20-10. Yet even in the more relaxed setting of Let’s Go!, Brady has never struck listeners as a comedian.

In the weeks that have followed his retirement announcement, Brady has appeared to spend his time mostly with his children.

He has two with Gisele – 13-year-old Benjamin and 10-year-old Vivian, who he has also been seen watching have horse riding lessons.

Brady also has another son, 15-year-old Jack, from his previous relationship with actress and model Bridget Moynahan.

Brady’s Bucs narrowly made the playoffs in his final season before being beaten 31-14 by the Dallas Cowboys on January 16 – his final ever game.

He retires with a reputation as the best quarterback to ever play in the NFL and has seven Super Bowl titles to his name.

Bundchen, meanwhile, has relaunched her modelling career and was recently seen partying at the Rio carnival.