I'm a broken record on this topic, because, even though it infuriates some, I always say the same thing. So, answering the question:
1) I hope so. Or beyond.
2) I think there are four variables that could influence his decision at this point:
a) A Fourth Ring. Being so close and yet so far (after two near misses) from Bradshaw and Montana has got to be on his mind. My gut is that this is important to him and that he will try to stay around as long as he can if he thinks he has a chance to get one; like others, I don't think he'd announce his retirement the day he won it, though.
b) Stat Standings. I personally tend to downplay this one, but since returning from his injury, he's solidified his place among the game's all time greats. The bottom line is that he will be top ten all time in every major statistic by the end of his current contract.
TD's: He's already number five with 312. Favre is First with 508, but Tarkenton at Number Four is within close reach at 342. Marino is second at 420 and Peyton is currently Number Three at 413.
Passing Yards: Brady is Number 11 at 42,083. Fouts is Number Nine with 43,040 Yards, so he should pass that this season (Brees is already at Number 10 and climbing at 42,839). Moon is Number Five at 49,325. Favre is First at 71,838.
Completions: He's Number Ten with 3,583. Tarkenton is only about 100 ahead of him at 3,686. Brees is Number eight and climbing.
Pass Rating: Obviously to be downplayed because it is influenced by rule changes. Brady is Number Three at 96.4. Rodgers is Number One at 104.7 and Steve Young Number Two at 96.8.
c) Health. He's looking strong still, but with the Patriots in general and Brady in particular, you never know for sure. Only those closest to Brady can know what he feels or is thinking about intangibles like the long term impact in terms of head trauma of taking hits since High School. I tend to downplay anything he or those around him say publicly on this score.
d) I think whoever suggested that the "fun" factor is huge was right on the money. And, this, among all of the factors is the one about which those of us (i.e., all of us) who don't know him personally can only speculate. How he really feels about his football life in the context of his life with Gisele and his children and his options outside of the sport is unknown to us. He's famously quoted as saying things like that he "stared into the abyss" during his year out of the game and I take him at his word that leaving will eventually be very difficult for him. But he sure hasn't looked like he's having fun on the sidelines or in his post game press conferences recently. But, I have no more a way of knowing that that is true than those who would insist nothing has changed on that score.
So, despite the fact that the "Health" and "Fun" variables are essentially unknowable to us, I guess I'd add that all up and say that, barring a major injury, I think there's a 40% chance that he'd retire at the end of his current contract (2014 season); a (cumulative) 80% chance that he'll play until the season he begins at age 40 (2016 season) and an additional 20% chance that he'll play past that season.
