Tom Brady fans given one final sliver of hope he could return again

The New England Patriots honored Tom Brady last week, with TB12 essentially signaling to the rest of the NFL that his days as an NFL quarterback are behind him. Brady has even been discussed as a possible minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders, though the paperwork has yet to go through.

The very brief delay with that paperwork has given Brady conspiracy theorists some hope that an NFL comeback may in fact be on the horizon. When watching the QB play across the league Week 1, one can't help but wonder if Brady could beat some of his younger counterparts out for a starting job. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero explained the very brief delay, and what it means for Brady's playing future.

"A vote could come as soon as next month's Fall League Meeting, sources say, but there is still plenty to sort out with financing and plenty of information regarding a potential purchase still to be shared. There's no guarantee the process is done by October, which means the Winter League Meeting in December could be the time for Brady to finally and firmly close the door on playing in the NFL."

Will Tom Brady make an NFL comeback?

The likelihood of a Brady NFL comeback isn't high. Brady has been retired since the end of last season, and frankly he didn't look much like the NFL MVP-caliber player we've come to expect. Brady looked every bit of 45 years old last season, and with the struggles in his personal life finally behind him, he seems to be enjoying retirement, and namely spending time with his children and family.

Still, the door does technically remain open for Brady to play again until his Raiders ownership stake is approved. At that point, the dream will be over.