NFL

Tom Brady goes ‘off the grid’ with new Fox NFL teammates after unretirement buzz

Tom Brady’s offseason preparations look a bit different these days.

The legendary NFL quarterback jetted to paradise for some preseason bonding with his new “NFL on Fox” teammates, including Charissa Thompson, who gave her social media followers a peek at the star-studded getaway Monday.

“No shortage of laughter or athleticism with this crew … We had ourselves a time, off the grid,” Thompson captioned a massive group photo on Instagram that featured herself, Brady, Erin Andrews, Rob Gronkowski and Michael Strahan, among others.

Tom Brady and his new Fox Sports teammates during a preseason getaway. Charissa Thompson/Instagram

Brady, who retired from the NFL last February after 23 seasons, is preparing to slide into the network’s top booth alongside Kevin Burkhardt, who called games the past two seasons with former tight end Greg Olsen.

The trip comes nearly two years after Brady, 46, agreed to join Fox Sports as their lead NFL analyst on a 10-year, $375 million deal.

Although Brady has expressed enthusiasm about his new venture, he stirred buzz earlier this spring after discussing the possibility of an NFL comeback.

Tom Brady spent the final three seasons of his NFL career with the Buccaneers. Getty Images

When appearing on the “DeepCuts” podcast, the seven-time Super Bowl champion was asked if he’d “pick up the phone” if a starting quarterback went down with an injury late in the year.

Though Brady is “not opposed to it,” his potential minority ownership stake with the Raiders — which still needs NFL approval — could be a roadblock.

“I don’t know if they’re going to let me if I become an owner of an NFL team,” Brady said on the show.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion called it a career for good in 2023. Getty Images

“But I don’t know … I’m always going to be in good shape, always be able to throw the ball. So, to come in for a little bit, like MJ coming back, I don’t know if they’d let me, but I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

Brady has famously backpedaled on retirement before.

Just 40 days after calling it a career in February 2022, the five-time league MVP revealed that he was returning for the 2022 season a month later.

Before the 2022 NFL season, Tom Brady agreed to join Fox Sports as their lead NFL analyst. Getty Images
Brady will work alongside lead play-by-play caller Kevin Burkhardt (right), who is part of the network’s top team that consists of Tom Rinaldi (left) and Erin Andrews (right). Getty Images

A former sixth-round pick out of Michigan, Brady spent the first 20 years of his prolific career in New England, where he won six Super Bowls with the Patriots.

He took his talents to Tampa Bay in 2020 and won his seventh Super Bowl in February 2021.

Brady hung up his cleats for good after the 2022 season, his third with the Buccaneers.

With his broadcasting debut looming, Brady revealed in January that he and Burkhardt are doing practice runs in the booth.

“I’ve been out to Fox Studios a few times and done some really dry runs with Kevin, who’s tremendous at what he does. I’m super excited to join an amazing team,” he said on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

“… I’m just going to go in there and do the best I can do with my own perspective.”