What is Tom Brady going to do in 2022?

Is he going to stay retired? Is he going to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers? Or is he going to force a trade so he can play for the San Francisco 49ers, his favorite team as a child?

No one knows. And Brady is absolutely loving that no one knows.

Brady is an extremely self-aware person. He knows everything he says will be analyzed to the bone. Nothing he says is by accident.

All of these "we'll see" statements that he's making — they're pointing toward a return. He knows what he's doing.

This past week, I think Brady gave us a big hint to his future plans via a cryptic statement that a lot of folks may have missed.

"I like staying busy, that’s for sure," said Brady on Sirius XM Radio this week. "I played a little bit of golf and I’m actually gonna see my parents tonight, which will be a real highlight for me on their turf. I’ll be sleeping in the same bed I sleep at when I was a kid."

That comment about seeing his parents on "their turf" and it being a real highlight, plus the comment about sleeping in his childhood bed, is a GIANT clue to Brady's future plans.

Remember, nothing he says is by mistake. All of his public words have a purpose. And that feels like a big hint that Brady is planning to play for the 49ers in 2022. He grew up in the Bay Area. It's where he wanted to go before he landed in Tampa. It all makes too much sense.

By the way, the fact that no one got his clue seemed to irk Brady a bit. He even tweeted the comments in a joking manner.

Honestly thought this was gonna be the lead quote here. REM sleep through the roof last night pic.twitter.com/sH7QidwwlB

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) March 3, 2022

Brady to the 49ers. Book it. If I'm wrong in a few months, come find me on Twitter (@zachTNT), it won't be the first time someone's harassed me over a freezing cold take.

Featured image via Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports