Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tom Brady's return shocks Sharpe, elates Bayless

Updated Mar. 14, 2022 3:34 p.m. ET

In case you haven't heard the news — well, of course you heard the news.

Tom Brady is back like he never left, and on Monday, Skip Bayless, Shannon Sharpe and others reacted to the GOAT's un-retirement, with Bayless arriving at the "Undisputed" desk dressed for the special occasion.

After rubbing it in Sharpe's face, Bayless got down to business, giving his take on Brady's short-lived retirement, saying he wasn't shocked at all by Brady's announcement on Sunday considering his form at age 44.

"The day after he retired, I think it was my second podcast. I spent like two-thirds of the podcast pouring my guts out about how I just can't wrap my head around this because it makes no sense. He should have been the MVP. … He led the league in completions and yards and touchdowns. He did all that!"

Brady indeed led the NFL with 485 completions, 5,316 passing yards (the second 5,000-yard passing season of his career) and 43 touchdowns (the third 40-plus passing TD season of his career), and he also led Tampa Bay to a 13-4 record, starting all 17 games.

In fact, Brady hasn't missed a start since missing four during the 2016-17 season in New England. Prior to that, he hadn't missed a start since the 2008-09 season.

Sharpe said that while he wasn't surprised that Brady came out of retirement, he was shocked at how short his first retirement was.

"As I look back at it, what are the mechanisms that forced him retired and how did they get removed in 40 days to make him un-retire? … Because it seems like he rushed this decision to retire, it seems like he rushed this decision to un-retire."

To Sharpe's point, Brady's retirement lasted a mere 40 days.

As for Colin Cowherd, Brady's return to the game revolves more around his competitive nature than anything. And with Russell Wilson leaving Seattle, San Francisco presumably making a quarterback switch, and Davante Adams' status in limbo in Green Bay, the NFC seems ripe for the taking, according to Cowherd.

"If Brady is anything, he's super, hyper-competitive. I think some of this is Tom looked around the NFC … and thought, ‘What’s my roadblock?' The Rams. But Tom's been in this league long enough — winning back-to-back Super Bowls is almost impossible in this league."