Tom Brady, the most successful quarterback in NFL history, announced Wednesday that he is retiring from the sport he dominated for years.
“I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning I thought I’d just hit record and let you know first,” Brady said in a Twitter video. “I will not be long. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine last year, so thank you guys so much, each and every one of you, for supporting me.’
Brady’s relentless commitment to winning was legendary, and it wasn’t until his final season that there were signs that his skills had begun to wane, though even then he passed for 4,694 yards, the third most in the NFL. The 45-year-old’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a losing record — the first of Brady’s career as a starter — and only limped into the playoffs because the other teams in the NFC South were even worse. They were easily defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the Dallas Cowboys.
Brady’s list of accomplishments is almost as long as his career. His seven Super Bowl wins — six with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — are the most of any player in NFL history. He also holds the NFL records for passing touchdowns (649) and passing yards (89,214). Other more obscure stats are just as impressive: No other quarterback has played in a Super Bowl over the age of 40 – Brady has played in three, winning two; his 35 playoff wins are more than 13 other teams have been on; and, remarkably, he has appeared in nearly a fifth of the Super Bowls ever played.
“My family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors — I could go on forever, there’s too many,” Brady said in Wednesday’s video. “Thank you guys for letting me live my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing. I love you all.”
This isn’t Brady’s first farewell. He originally announced his retirement exactly a year ago before deciding to return to the Buccaneers 40 days later, citing “unfinished business.” Tampa, however, was weakened by injuries and Brady seemed plagued by off-field issues as his final season ended.
Brady was known for being underrated coming out of college. There were 198 players — six of them quarterbacks — selected ahead of Brady in the 2000 NFL draft before the New England Patriots selected him. Patriots owner Robert Kraft later recalled Brady introducing himself by saying, “I’m Tom Brady and I’m the best decision this organization has ever made.”
Brady was right. He started as New England’s fourth quarterback and slowly worked his way up to become Drew Bledsoe’s backup. When Bledsoe was injured early in the 2001 season, Brady took over and hardly looked back. He would go on to win seven Super Bowl titles, three NFL MVP awards and nearly every significant quarterback record in league history.
“I think I’ve gone on the record dozens of times saying there’s no quarterback I’d rather have than Tom Brady, and I still feel that way,” said Bill Belichick, the coach with whom Brady won six New England titles in 2021 . “I was very fortunate to have Tom as my quarterback, to coach him, and he was as good as any coach could ask for.”
Brady’s fellow athletes paid tribute to him on Wednesday.
“The greatest of all time. No question, no debate. It was an honor and a privilege,” three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year JJ Watt wrote on Twitter.
Former New York Yankees star Derek Jeter, who dominated Major League Baseball the same way Brady did the NFL, congratulated the quarterback “on his incredible career. It was fun to watch.”
Now, Brady will likely concentrate on his lucrative off-field interests. He owns a fashion and wellness business and last year signed a 10-year broadcast deal with Fox Sports. The New York Post reported that the deal was worth $375 million, surpassing the $332 million Brady earned in salary during his NFL career.
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