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Did Cristiano Ronaldo convince Tom Brady to return to the NFL? Internet theorists go wild!

The NFL star did a u-turn 40 days into retirement, announcing in a viral post that he will play his 23rd season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Did inflation force Tom Brady back into the NFL? That's the joke one social media user is making as the NFL star announced he was retiring from retirement, to return to pro football. Brady posted on Instagram and Twitter on March 13: "I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands," and added, "I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa." The announcement has taken social media by storm, with 'Tom Brady' trending on Twitter as of March 13, Sunday, night.

After much speculation and rumor, Brady announced his retirement from professional football on February 1, 2022. His massive 962-word statement also went viral for another reason - he did not mention the New England Patriots. The side was considered genuine contenders for Super Bowl LVI but crashed out to the eventual champion the Los Angeles Rams. It certainly seems as if that loss stung Brady, causing him to do a u-turn.

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The big question though is if that was all or if there was something else. After all, Brady is one of the most successful and richest NFL players in history, having won seven Super Bowls. So why return to the field? The answer it seems can be found in England.

Why is Tom Brady returning?

On March 12, Saturday, Brady was at Old Trafford in Manchester, England for a soccer game between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs. After 37-year-old Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hattrick to seal the game for United, he met Brady. "You’re finished, right?” Ronaldo can be heard saying. It's not clear what exactly Brady says, but many speculated he was considering returning based on his facial expression, as the tweet below shows-

Ronaldo's inspiring performance to become the top goalscorer in soccer history appears to have a strong effect on the 44-year-old NFL star, as just over 24 hours later, he tweeted, "These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG."

Of course, Brady doesn't explicitly call out Ronaldo in his announcement, but the timing sure seems to be more than just a coincidence. If not that, it's not clear what else reason Brady would have for returning to the NFL, but one thing is for sure. It's not the inflation, as Joe Pompliano tweeted - "Damn, even Tom Brady saw 7.9% inflation and record-high gas prices and decided he needed to go back to work."

'How are the rest of us ever supposed to retire?'

Social media was filled with a lot more hilarious responses, as people mocked Brady ever so slightly for coming out of retirement in just 40 days. "Tom Brady spent a month wit his family and said f--k this shit i’m goin back to football," one user joked. Another mocked, "How’d ya like to be the guy who just bought Brady’s “last NFL TD ball” at auction for $500,000?!?" A third jokingly said, "Tom Brady Got In One Argument With His Wife And Said Im Going Back To Work."

"Tom Brady just snatched March Madness away from Twitter," one person said. Of course, there was also another joke on gas prices with one user tweeted, "If Tom Brady needs to go back to work to afford gas then the rest of us are screwed." On that note, a third user said, "Man if Tom Brady is coming back because of unfinished business, how are the rest of us ever supposed to retire?"

Whatever the reason, fans were definitely glad to hear that Brady would be back though. Jokes and memes aside, he will be the oldest quarterback in NFL history when he takes the field for the Bucs in the upcoming season. At 45, what wonders will he do? We'll soon find out.