Tom Brady plans to take his time before making a decision on retirement this offseason after he was retired for just 40 days earlier this year.

“Well, I think next time I decide to retire, that’s it for me,” Brady said. “So whenever that day comes, we’ll figure it out.”

Brady hasn't spent any time contemplating his retirement this season.

“You know, I think what I really realized last year was you gotta be really sure to do that,” Brady said. “And for me, you know, a lot of people have kind of gone through this situation. I’m going to take my time whenever that time does come.”

Tom Brady was noticeably upset by a report in the San Francisco Chronicle that noted the quarterback's involvement in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' offense.

The report stated that Brady runs a meeting separate from the coaching staff with the team's skill position players where he goes over the game plan and makes tweaks to it. At times this leads to Todd Bowles and the staff discovering changes during games.

When asked on Thursday if that report was true, Brady responded quickly.

"No," Brady said. "I have no idea. I mean, anybody can write anything, and say whatever they want. So, no. ... I'm not gonna respond to every -- next question."

Ahead of facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Joe Burrow is resisting comparisons to Tom Brady.

"I don't really pay attention to it," the Cincinnati Bengals said. "He's Tom, and I'm Joe."

The two players will be facing each other for the first time at Raymond James Stadium.

While Burrow might resist the comparison, the 26-year-old Burrow had plenty of admiration for Brady.

"He gets the ball out really fast," Burrow said. "He understands what he's looking at. I think he epitomizes toughness at the quarterback position. And he's a great leader. I mean, he's the greatest of all time for a reason. He's the total package."

Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers dropped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to 6-7 on the season but they remain in the NFC playoff picture.

"We've got to decide what team we want to be," Todd Bowles said. "We can't be one set of Bucs and another set of Bucs. It's got to mean something. ... Either we want it or we don't. We can't care more than everybody else. As a coach, you don't go out on the field, but we got outcoached, so we're not excused from this at all. We got outplayed as well. As a team, as a group, we've got to buckle down and decide what our fate is in the next few weeks."

Despite being one game below .500, the Buccaneers have a one-game lead in the NFC South with four games to go. 

Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a win over the New Orleans Saints on Monday night despite trailing 16-3 with 5:21 to go in the fourth quarter.

The 45-year-old threw two touchdown passes to defeat the Saints 17-16, surpassing Peyton Manning for most career fourth-quarter comebacks in NFL history with 44.

Brady joked after the game, "Just like we drew it up. Just like we drew it up."