Call & Times

Brady to play past 2019

Patriot reiterates belief that he can play until 45

- By MATT BONESTEEL

Earlier this month, Gisele Bündchen once again talked about how she hasn’t been able to persuade husband Tom Brady to retire from the NFL, telling Ellen DeGeneres that “I haven’t been very successful” at getting him to step down. Now it looks as if the Patriots quarterbac­k isn’t going to hang it up after what has become a somewhat difficult 2018 season.

“I absolutely believe I will,” Brady said when asked by Westwood One’s Jim Gray about whether he’ll be back in 2019. “I know I’ve talked about it a long time. I have goals to play not only next year but beyond that.

And I’m going to try to do it as best as I possibly can. I’m going to give it everything I have, like I always have. It will certainly be a challenge. I don’t take any of these things for granted. But I hope I can keep playing. I hope I can keep playing at a championsh­ip level.”

Brady will be 42 at the start of next season, and he’s said in the past that he would like to play until he’s well into his 40s.

“I’ve been able to be in a career for 19 years that I love,” Brady said. “I wake up every day excited to go to work . . . fulfilled . . . I don’t think there’s any greater gift in my life than to have that. . . . In my heart and soul, I love playing the sport of football.”

The Patriots have clinched the AFC East title for the 16th time in Brady’s career.

 ?? File photo ?? Tom Brady reiterated this week that he plans to play after next season.
File photo Tom Brady reiterated this week that he plans to play after next season.

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