It’s official: after 22 seasons, 7-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady announced his retirement from the National Football League on social media on Tuesday. The 44-year-old is arguably the greatest NFL quarterback of all time.
In his announcement, Brady said, “I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention. I’ve done a lot of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions. And I am so proud of what we have achieved.” He went on to say that his fans and competitors deserve 100 percent of him, but now it’s best to leave the field for the next generation of athletes.
There was speculation before Brady’s announcement, with sources reporting that he retired on Saturday. However, that same day, another source close to the situation said that Brady told the Buccaneers general manager that he hadn’t decided yet on retiring. However, Brady chose to announce on Tuesday officially.
Congratulations and accolades poured in once he announced, most notably from his wife, Gisele Bundchen. She posted a congratulatory message on Instagram, saying, “As a family, we always prayed for you, celebrated and supported you in every game, cheered every win, and suffered with every loss.” She added that she is proud of Brady and everything he overcame over the years.
Brady’s NFL career started in 2000 when he was selected 199th overall in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He played 20 seasons in Foxborough before leaving in the 2020 season to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he led the Bucs to a Super Bowl win his first season there. Brady joined Peyton Manning as the only starting quarterbacks in NFL history to win a Super Bowl with multiple teams.
Brady just finished his 22nd season in the NFL and second with the Buccaneers. Brady has won 7 Super Bowl titles, 6 with the Patriots and one with Tampa Bay during his career. He retires as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdown passes, completions, regular-season wins, playoff wins, and Super Bowl MVPs. He’s also played and won more regular-season games in his career than any other quarterback.
Brady is the first quarterback in league history to lead his team to 7 Super Bowl wins, surpassing Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana, who have 4. Brady’s 10 Super Bowl appearances are more than any franchise in the Super Bowl era. The Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Pittsburgh Steelers each have eight. In his final season, Brady led the league in passing yards and touchdowns and earned an NFL-best 15th Pro Bowl selection.
Brady was named to the league’s 2000s All-Decade Team, the 2010s All-Decade Team, and the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. In a statement on Tuesday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also paid his tributes to Brady, saying that he will be remembered as one of the best to ever play in the NFL. He also called Brady an incredible competitor and leader.
There’s no doubt that Tom Brady has had a stellar career, and fans will remember him for his competitive nature and talent. From being selected 199th in the draft to becoming one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Brady is an inspiration to every underdog. Cheers to TB12; enjoy your retirement.
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