Tom Brady has reaffirmed his plan to continue his playing career in 2019 and beyond.

"I absolutely believe I will. I know I've talked about it for a long time: I have goals to not only play next year, but beyond that," Brady said in his weekly interview on Westwood One. "I'm going to try to do it as best I possibly can. I'm going to give it everything I have, like I always have.

"It will certainly be a challenge. I don't take any of these things for granted, but I hope I can keep playing, and I hope I can keep playing at a championship level."

Brady's current contract with the New England Patriots expires after the 2019 season.

Brady discussed the place football has in his life.

"I've been able to be in a career for 19 years that I love. I wake up every day excited to go to work. I wake up every day fulfilled with what I'm doing. I don't think there's any greater gift in my life than to have that," he said.

"Along with that has come a lot of other very cool opportunities, but in my heart and soul, I love playing the sport of football and it's brought me so much joy in my life. It tests you in so many ways. I've been dealing with it for a long time. There's anxiousness and nerves, and joy and happiness. There's disappointment and frustration. The emotions run the gamut. But if you can stay and build your mental toughness, it's just been incredibly rewarding. I'm a very, very lucky man."