Tom Brady Addresses Comeback Rumors as Raiders Spiral, Rivers Returns to Colts
Tom Brady and Philip Rivers spent years squaring off in classic AFC duels-two fierce competitors, two very different styles, but both cut from the same cloth: tough, durable, and relentlessly competitive. Rivers stepped away from the game after the 2020 season.
Brady, true to form, pushed the limits of longevity until finally retiring in 2023. But now, in a twist no one saw coming, Rivers is back.
And Brady? Well, the whispers are getting louder.
Rivers’ return to suit up for the Indianapolis Colts for the remainder of the 2025 season has sparked fresh speculation about whether Brady might follow suit-this time in a Raiders uniform. The timing isn’t random. Las Vegas is in free fall, and the quarterback situation is, to put it kindly, unstable.
Brady, now a minority owner of the Raiders, was recently asked whether he’d consider dusting off the cleats and stepping in under center. He didn’t exactly slam the door shut.
In fact, Brady admitted he still believes he can compete at the highest level. The catch?
He’d need about a month to get into game shape. That’s a big ask with just a few weeks left in a lost season.
And make no mistake: it has been a lost season in Las Vegas.
The Raiders are mired in an eight-game losing streak and have long since been eliminated from playoff contention. Sitting at the bottom of the AFC West, they’ve underperformed across the board.
The offense has lacked rhythm and identity. The defense has struggled to generate stops.
And the development of promising young talent like Ashton Jeanty hasn’t exactly gone according to plan.
Geno Smith, the team’s starting quarterback, is enduring one of the roughest stretches of his career. Turnovers, missed reads, and inconsistent play have plagued him throughout the year. It’s led to mounting frustration among fans and analysts alike, with some even calling for Brady to pull a “Rivers” and step in.
But there’s a key difference in the two situations. The Colts are still in the playoff hunt.
The Raiders? They’re playing out the string.
So while Rivers returning makes sense for a team still chasing January football, Brady stepping in for a team already out of the race doesn’t quite add up-at least not from a competitive standpoint. That said, the idea of Brady suiting up again, even at 48, is the kind of storyline that keeps NFL fans dreaming.
Meanwhile, head coach Pete Carroll finds himself in the hot seat as the season winds down. Expectations were higher than this.
Much higher. The team’s lack of cohesion and failure to execute consistently on both sides of the ball has left the front office with some tough decisions to make in the offseason.
Next up for the Raiders? A clash with the surging Houston Texans.
On paper, it’s a mismatch. The Texans are rolling, and Vegas is reeling.
It’s the kind of game that could further expose the cracks that have already widened over the past two months.
As for Brady, the door may not be closed, but it’s certainly not wide open either. He’s watching.
He’s aware. But unless something drastic changes, it looks like he’ll remain on the sidelines-at least for now.