People Debate Direction of Tom Brady's Career After He Posts Mysterious Photo (UPDATE)

Is Tom Brady coming or going?

Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots speaks with the media.
Getty

Image via Getty/Adam Glanzman

Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots speaks with the media.

UPDATED 2/2 at 10:21 a.m. ET: The NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that the cryptic photograph Tom Brady posted on his social media recently is a teaser for a commercial that will air during Super Bowl LIV. 

See original post below.

What does the future hold for Tom Brady? The only one who knows that answer is Brady himself, and on Thursday, the 42-year-old quarterback gave us a glimpse into his current thought process with a photo that leaves more questions than answers. 

Brady's current deal with the Patriots is void once the 2020 league year begins on March 18. As part of the language in his contract, the Pats cannot give him the franchise or transition tag in lieu of free agency. Earlier this month, Brady declared in an Instagram post, "I know I still have more to prove," suggesting that retirement was out of the question.

That leaves two options, and your interpretation of Brady's career direction depends on where you think he's facing. 

Now, we should note that there's actually a third, very possible interpretation of this photo that has nothing to do with whether he's returning to or leaving the Patriots.   

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