It’s official, Tom Brady is now retired. A phrase written, read, said and heard barely a year ago. However, in all likelihood, the 45-year-old athlete should honor his decision this time around.
An important page, even an entire chapter, is turning in the NFL. The greatest player to have stepped on a football pitch has announced that he played the last season of his career.
” Good morning everyone. I’ll go straight to the point. I’m retiring, for good,” Brady said in a video message posted to his official Twitter account, while on a beach.
“I know the whole process was huge the last time. This time when I woke up this morning I thought I was going to tell you first,” he continued.
“Thank you all for allowing me to live my absolute dream, I would not have changed anything (in my career), I love you all”, he concluded, on the verge of tears.
An unforgettable career
Brady will not go down in history as the most athletic player, but certainly as the greatest champion of all time. With his individual and collective marks, the Californian has eclipsed a plethora of records.
In 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and 3 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Brady has certainly divided opinion. He has been heroically glorified or deeply hated. However, no one can minimize his exploits.
He is the only player to have won seven championships. No player or franchise can claim to have won the Super Bowl so many times.
He holds around forty “regular” season records, around thirty in the playoffs and around twenty in the Super Bowl.
Among his most impressive “regular” season marks are career yards thrown (89,214), passes completed (7,753), and touchdown passes (649).
In the playoffs, he holds the record for most fourth quarter comebacks (9), yards in a game (505) and most streaks by a quarterback (10).
Brady, drafted at 199e rank in the 2000 draft, is also the only player named five times as Super Bowl MVP.
One year too many?
Brady upped the ante last season. Question of going there for a last dance. At the end of a season during which he and the Buccaneers were unable to defend their title, the big guy with a dazzling smile had announced for the first time that he was hanging up his cleats. It was the 1er February 2022. A rain of praise had swept over the sports world for days.
The following March 13, against all odds, Brady revealed that he wanted to play a 23e season. During his first retirement, the quarterback had never really closed the door to a possible return. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family, but his relationship with football was just as important, even vital. He was also at the top of his game. Even as he approached his mid-forties, he still dominated NFL quarterbacks in different categories.
He therefore agreed on the terms of a one-year, $15 million contract with the Bucs. However, for many, this season turned out to be one too many for Brady. The height for any aging athlete.
On a sporting level, Brady lived up to expectations individually, with a collection of 4,694 yards, in the 3rde NFL rank, and 25 touchdown passes, good for 8e league rank. However, collectively, its effect has darkened. Brady entered the playoffs with a negative record (8-9) for the first time in his career and had one of his worst performances ever in the first round against the Dallas Cowboys. This 31-14 loss was his last career game.
On a personal note, Brady divorced his wife of 13 years, model Gisele Bündchen, on Oct. 28. According to various sources close to the former couple, the mother of two of his three children would have liked him to retire from professional football in 2021 and 2022, but Brady would have preferred to return to the game. Balancing family life and that of professional athlete would have been at the heart of the discord.
The following
Brady will not be outdone during his post-career. He will be one of the busiest retirees on the planet.
Last year, he signed a 10-year deal valued at $375 million with FOX Sports to become an NFL game analyst, effective the day his retirement became official.
It will also continue to promote its TB12 brand, in the areas of wellness, fitness and nutrition.
Brady is also one of the co-owners of Autograph, an NFT platform in the sports and cultural field.
He also launched the Brady clothing brand some time ago.
Then, he will continue to produce various documentaries and series with his production company 199 Productions.