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In a surprising turn of events, Tom Brady came out of retirement to play his 23rd season in the NFL. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers went from figuring out a quarterback dilemma to having the future Hall of Fame quarterback under center once again. However, many are wondering if this means Ali Marpet will rejoin the franchise as well.
According to Mike Garafolo, Ali Marpet is going to “stay retired.” Marpet clearly has goals away from football as the guard chose to retire at a relatively young age. So, the Buccaneers will be forced to search for his replacement within the offensive line.
Former #Buccaneers G Ali Marpet will stay retired, according to agent Andy Ross (@NFLagentandy.) Ross said Marpet told him Tom Brady’s return made it tougher, knowing he’ll be watching from afar but Marpet’s going to earn his Master’s.
“He already bought a backpack,” Ross said.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 14, 2022
While the Buccaneers aim to reconstruct their roster for another potential Super Bowl run, Ali Marpet is focusing on earning his master's degree, per Jenna Laine. The Super Bowl-winning guard aims to work in mental health, which is an area that has grown more awareness over the years. It's nice to see someone like Marpet move onto a career that is much bigger than football.
For those asking, I’m told that Ali Marpet is not planning on coming out of retirement. His agent Andy Ross tells me that he’s “preparing for life after football.” He is heading back to school for his master’s (undecided on which school currently) to work in mental health.
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) March 14, 2022
Only a week prior to Tom Brady's unretirement announcement, the offseason was looking rather grim for the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay was facing multiple key players leaving the franchise through free agency. However, Brady's return piqued the interest of his teammates. Ryan Jensen re-signed almost immediately and now there are rumors of Rob Gronkowski running it back as well.
So, all thanks to Tom Brady, the Buccaneers will likely be the favorite to win the NFC South once again. The front office still has their hands full with tough decisions, as they must find Ali Marpet's replacement. Luckily for Tampa Bay, there is a ton of talent available in free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft is loaded with prospect offensive linemen. Look for this franchise to put together a playoff contender before the start of training camp.
