If Tom Brady has played the last game of an unprecedented NFL career, he ended with one of his toughest losses after a stunning comeback.
Bloodied and battered by the Los Angeles Rams, the 44-year-old seven-time Super Bowl champion rallied the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back from a 27-3 deficit, only to see the defence surrender a big play in the final minute to set up Matt Gay’s winning 30-yard field goal.
The Rams’ 30-27 victory on Sunday (Monday AEDT) sent Los Angeles home to host the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC championship game next week. They ended Tampa Bay’s bid to become the NFL’s first repeat champions since Brady led New England to consecutive titles following the 2003-04 seasons.
In the other game of the day, Patrick Mahomes found Travis Kelce in the corner of the end zone early in overtime, and the Kansas City Chiefs rallied to beat the Buffalo Bills 42-36 in a sizzling finish to a wild divisional-round weekend.
Did the Rams end Brady’s career with their win?
“Truthfully, guys, I’m thinking about this game. I’m not thinking about past five minutes from now,” Brady said.
Tom Brady leaves the field after the loss to the Rams.Credit: Getty Images
Brady is under contract for 2022 but his return isn’t definite.
“I haven’t put a lot of thought into it, taking it day by day,” Brady said.
He said in late September he plans to play at least one more season, but he’s indicated several times since that returning will be a family decision.
Asked last month when he’ll know it’s time to retire, Brady said:
“That’s a good question. I don’t know. I think I’ll have to just, after every year, think about what the situation looks like for me, personally and professionally. Obviously, I love playing; I don’t think my love will go away. I think I’ll be able to do it, it’s just the other things are kind of happening in my life, in regard to family situations. My kids are not getting younger, and I want to make sure that they get what they need, too.”
Brady’s agent, Don Yee, told the Associated Press last week he doesn’t know when Brady will hang it up.
“He can do it as long as he wants, because his intangibles really are very much off the charts,” Yee said for an upcoming episode of the AP Pro Football Podcast. “I’ve been around professional athletes since 1974 and I’ve seen a lot of different types of athletes. And I think all the very best will tell you the intangible part is critical. There are a lot of great, physical specimens, but to keep trying to do something for a long period of time and to do it well, you have to have other intangibles. ... you have to want to get up every morning to be great.
“And so he still possesses all of that and more. And so I don’t. ... It’s going to be his decision, and I would never, ever speak on his behalf on this issue. But he clearly is still performing very well.”
Brady was playing at an elite level until running into the Rams. He didn’t complete a pass on his first two drives for the first time in his 47 playoff starts, going 0 for 4.
Johnny Hekker kicks the Rams to victory.Credit: Getty Images
He got called for the first unsportsmanlike penalty of his career in the first half for arguing a call after a hit busted his lip.
Brady misfired on several passes, had two turnovers and was sacked three times. But his 55-yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans with just over three minutes left got the Buccaneers within 27-20.
After the Rams lost their fourth fumble, Brady drove Tampa to the tying score as Leonard Fournette ran in from the 9.
But defensive breakdowns allowed Matthew Stafford to lead the Rams in position to win it.
Brady finished 30 of 54 for 329 yards and one TD, but the offence got going far too late.
Coach Bruce Arians told the Tampa Bay Times on Friday that he would be “shocked” if Brady didn’t return for another season based on the fun he’s having playing the game and practising all week.
Brady is the NFL’s all-time leader in many categories, including yards passing (84,520) and TDs (624). He’s the only player to win more than five Super Bowls and was MVP of the Super Bowl five times.
Devastating loss for Bills
The lead changed hands three times in the final two minutes of regulation in the Buffalo-Kansas City game before Harrison Butker, who earlier had missed a field goal and extra point, drilled a 49-yarder for Kansas City as time expired to force overtime.
The Chiefs won the coin toss, marched swiftly downfield against the NFL’s top-ranked but exhausted defence, and right into their fourth straight AFC title game. They’ll play the Bengals next week for a spot in the Super Bowl.
Mahomes finished with 378 yards passing and three touchdowns, including a 64-yarder to Tyreek Hill during the thrilling final minutes of regulation. The Chiefs ended the Bills’ season inside Arrowhead Stadium for the second straight year.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen did everything in his power to prevent it. He threw a go-ahead touchdown pass to Gabriel Davis with 1:54 left in the regulation, then another to Davis – his playoff-record fourth TD catch – with 13 seconds remaining.
But that was enough time for the Chiefs to set up Butker’s tying kick.
Allen finished with 329 yards passing, and Davis with eight catches for 201 yards, in a loss even more devastating than their defeat to Kansas City in last year’s AFC title game.
AP