When Tom Brady opted to “retire” from the NFL 40 days ago, the decision sure provided both Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians and general manager Jason Licht with a major dilemma for the offseason. But now with Brady electing to return to the Buccaneers for the 2022 season, Arians can breathe a sigh of relief.

Arians provided a simple reaction to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport following the grand return of Brady.

“Total excitement,” Arians said.

For Arians, he sure did not see this call from Brady coming. He mentioned last month that a Brady comeback would “shock” him, as the fact that the seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback announced his retirement before free agency convinced him that the veteran passer indeed called it a career for good.

Still, Brady did not publicly double down on his February retirement decision. He noted last month that when it came to a potential comeback to the NFL, “never say never.”

The Buccaneers can now put to a close what turned out to be a 40-day search for Brady’s replacement. From Kyle Trask to Deshaun Watson, they reportedly had a multitude of targets to be their starting quarterback for the 2022 season. But with Brady back in the fold, Arians and Licht can now look ahead to free agency, which will kick off later this week.