TAMPA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 07: Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hoists the Vince Lombardi Trophy after winning Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium on February 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers defeated the Chiefs 31-9. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
It’s true. Tom Brady is retiring.
After back-and-forth reports over the weekend, Brady made his retirement official on Instagram Tuesday morning saying that he could no longer make the competitive commitment that football requires.
“I have loved my NFL career,” Brady wrote. “Now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”
He thanked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization, players, coaches, family and friends.
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In a career that spanned 22 seasons that included seven Super Bowl titles, he leaves the field as who many consider the greatest of all time. Brady spent 20 years with the New England Patriots after being drafted in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, before joining the Buccaneers for a 2-year stint, which brought his final Super Bowl win last year.
Brady retires as a three-time league MVP, five-time Super Bowl MVP, the league leader in passing yards (84,520), touchdown passes (624), wins (243) and playoff wins (35). He also made the NFL All-Decade Teams of the 2000s and 2010s.
As for his plans for life after retiring from the NFL, he’s still unsure.
“Exactly what my days will look like will be a work-in-progress,” Brady wrote in the statement. “As I said earlier, I am going to take it day by day. I know for sure I want to spend a lot of time giving to others and trying to enrich other people’s lives, just as so many have done for me.”
Brady was loved by the lucky fans who had him as their quarterback and hated by everyone else because he was great. So, when the 2022 season begins in September, an NFL season will start for the first time in this decade without the greatest of all time, Tom Brady.
Responses to the news flooded Twitter Tuesday morning to congratulate Brady on a historic career.
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