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As ESPN.com's Jenna Laine reported, Tom Brady said Sunday night that it was too soon for him to think about his future and that his emotions were still tied to the Buccaneers' heartbreaking, last-second playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams that had occurred just minutes earlier.

"Truthfully guys, I'm thinking about this game," said Brady, who rallied the Bucs from a 27-3 second-half deficit only to watch them fall 30-27. "I'm not thinking about anything past five minutes from now."

Laine went on to point out Brady's comments came after ESPN reported earlier Sunday that the 44-year-old quarterback is undecided about his future, and that while he could return for another season, it is far from a given. Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington that Brady plans to take time after the season ends -- a month or longer -- to assess how he feels physically and mentally while also gauging his family's desires.

"I haven't put a lot of thought into it, so you know, we will just take it day by day and kind of see where we are at," said Brady, who has one year left on his contract.

Asked if he thought about Sunday possibly being the final game of his career as he ran out of the south end zone tunnel at Raymond James Stadium, the seven-time Super Bowl winner said no.

"I was thinking about winning," he said. "That's kind of my mentality -- always to go out there and try to win. Give my teammates the best chance to win."

Meanwhile, head coach Bruce Arians said there's no timetable for when a discussion with Brady about his future will take place.

"That's totally up to Tom," Arians said. "I haven't talked to him yet. (He'll) take all the time he needs. We'll see."

Sources told Schefter and Darlington that Brady is happy in Tampa, while team sources further added the marriage couldn't be going any better from the Bucs' perspective. Tampa Bay's coaches and executives are unanimous in their desire to keep moving forward with Brady beyond this season, something they plan to convey to him in emphatic fashion when the season is over.

Schefter and Darlington also report the Bucs organization would be willing to bend over backward to entice Brady to continue playing, if that's what he ultimately decides to do.

At times throughout this season, Brady has felt committed to returning in 2022 regardless of the outcome, simply because he feels like he owes it to an organization that doesn't have a clear quarterback succession plan, sources said. But with a long 2021-22 season nearing its conclusion, Brady now plans to enter the offseason wide open about his future.

Tampa Bay's current backup quarterbacks are NFL journeyman Blaine Gabbert and 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask.

Teammates, many of whom faced questions about Brady's future this past week, acknowledged the reality of the situation.

"I know Tom's a competitor. He always say he's got something to prove, but what more can he do?" inside linebacker Lavonte David said. "He's the GOAT. He's done everything he can. If he comes back, obviously we'll welcome him with open arms. But we'll have to let him decide that for himself."

Wide receiver Mike Evans said he won't make any sort of pitch to Brady.

"I don't have to say nothing to him," Evans said. "He's self-motivated. He knows what he wants. Hopefully we get him back next year. The best player ever, one of the best teammates and one of the best leaders I've ever seen.

"I've said the last two years: I'm super appreciative that he came to Tampa Bay. Nobody had no clue he was even leaving New England. Just very privileged to play with him."

While it remains to be seen if Brady returns, Arians sees next season as another championship push rather than the start of a rebuilding phase.

"No, I think of it as a reload like it is every year. ... We'll see how many we can get back and then build the team from there," Arians said Monday. "Each year, it's so different and so new. Last year, to get everybody back, was amazing. I doubt we can do it all again this year, but we're still gonna give it our best."

Indeed, the list of key Buccaneers who now become unrestricted free agents is a lengthy one. Among them: wide receiver Chris Godwin, center Ryan Jensen, running back Leonard Fournette, defensive back Carlton Davis, safety Jordan Whitehead, defensive lineman William Gholston and edge rusher Jason Pierre-Paul.

The Bucs could also look to re-sign tight end Rob Gronkowski and defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, whose contracts enter void years.

The Bucs currently have $19.4 million in salary cap space for 2022 -- which puts them squarely in the middle of the league -- per Overthecap.com. It's not much money with which to retain so much talent, and as Arians alluded, it won't be as easy as free-agency retention was for the club a year ago.

Last year, the Bucs re-signed several key contributors to make a run at another Super Bowl crown, among them: linebackers Lavonte David and Shaq Barrett, plus Suh, Fournette and Gronkowski.

Re-signing all 22 starters like they did last year might not be possible.

Gronkowski said on Monday that he plans to take four or five weeks as a “down period” before making a call on whether to keep going.

Gronkowski said that continuing to play while Brady retires is not off the table.

“I could see a scenario like that -- never say never,” Gronkowski said, via WDAE. “I’m just going to do what’s best for myself in the football world and we’ll see how I feel in a couple weeks.”

He had 55 catches for 802 yards and six touchdowns in 12 regular season games and nine catches for 116 yards and a touchdown in the playoffs.

Fournette, the fourth overall draft pick in 2017 who found a career resurgence with the Bucs after getting released by the Jacksonville Jaguars before the 2020 season, added: "I'm proud of this group -- I'm proud of these guys and I'm happy to call myself a Buccaneer."

A number of players stayed in the locker room long after Sunday's game was over.

"You have to cherish the relationships that you have with this team," Fournette said. "They don't come around too often like that. One of the best groups of guys and coaching staffs I've been around. We went out, the way we didn't want to go out, but at the end of the day, I'm just blessed to be a part of this organization, to have guys like Tom Brady, Gronk, Mike [Evans], [Scotty Miller], [Ryan] Jensen. ... Guys like that. ... It's hard, it's tough."

Brady, however, is still a difference maker and his decision will be a huge factor in Tampa.

Despite injuries and suspensions to several of the Bucs' key offensive players this season, Brady appeared in all 17 games this season and led the league with 5,316 passing yards -- a career-high -- and 43 touchdown passes.

We'll be watching for more in coming weeks.