Tampa Bay Buccaneers Make Big Changes to Tom Brady's Contract

Tom Brady will return to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this fall, and the Buccaneers just made a big move on Brady's contract. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Buccaneers restructured their star quarterback's contract, creating over $9 million of added salary-cap space. Brady is still set to be a free agent following the 2022 season. 

According to NFL.com, Brady was slated to have a base salary of $8.9 million in 2022 and $3.3 million in bonuses with a $20.2 million cap figure before the restructure. Brady is known for being underpaid but also known for restructuring his contract to make sure the team has enough money to sign other players. 

In February, Brady, 44, announced his retirement from the NFL. However, the seven-time Super Bowl champion announced in March he is returning to play for the Buccaneers for at least one more season. "At the end of the day, I just love the competition on the field," Brady said to ESPN this week. "And last year was a very bitter ending to a season and we've got to make a lot of corrections to try to improve and put ourselves in a better position to succeed moving forward."

Brady signed with the Buccaneers in 2020 after spending 22 seasons with the New England Patriots. He led the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl in 2020, their first title since the 2002 season. Last year, the Buccaneers reached the divisional round of the playoffs but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. However, Brady had one of the best seasons in his career, throwing for 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns in 17 regular-season games.

"I know I don't have a lot left, I really do. I know I'm at the end of my career," Brady said. "I wish you could go forever, but it's just not and football comes at too high of a cost now. My kids are getting older and it's just getting harder and harder to miss these things."  Brady has played in 10 Super Bowls and has won 35 postseason games. He is also the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards (84,520) and passing touchdowns (624).