Tom Brady announced Wednesday morning that he is retiring “for good” from football.
Brady, 45, initially retired last Feb. 1. He changed his mind 40 days later and returned to play the 2022 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
On Wednesday, Brady took to social media and said the following in a video:
“Good morning, guys. I’ll get to the point right away. I’m retiring for good.
“I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first. I won’t be longwinded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay, and I used mine up last year, so really thank you guys so much to every single one of you for supporting me.
“My family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors — I could go on forever, there’s too many,” Brady said in the video, fighting back tears. “Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing. Love you all.”
Truly grateful on this day. Thank you ?????? pic.twitter.com/j2s2sezvSS
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 1, 2023
Brady concludes one of the most decorated NFL careers with numerous records. He owns the most Super Bowl championships (seven), most regular-season wins by a quarterback (251), most postseason wins by a quarterback (35), most passes completed (7,753), most pass attempts (12,050), most passing yards (89,214) and most passing touchdowns (649).
Spotrac lists Brady as the highest-earning NFL player of all-time, counting on-field earnings only, at $333 million. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers ($306M) and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford ($301M) are next.
He played in the Super Bowl 10 times — or 18 percent of all Super Bowls to date — was a three-time NFL Most Valuable Player and a 15-time Pro Bowl selection.
Brady spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, then joined the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season and led them to a Super Bowl championship in his first campaign.
The Glazer family, owners of the Buccaneers, thanked Brady for his contributions.
“Tom’s impact on our franchise these past three years has been immense and we are appreciative of the time we had with him here in Tampa Bay,” a family statement read. “He set an exceptional standard that elevated our entire organization to new heights and created some of the most iconic moments in our history. Tom’s impact will be felt within our community for many years to come and we will be forever grateful for those unforgettable memories that he provided during these final seasons of his legendary career. We wish him the best in this next chapter of life.”
Not including the injury-shortened 2008 season, Brady led his team to the playoffs in 20 of his 21 seasons as a starter and each of his three years with the Buccaneers.
In 2021, he led the NFL in passing yards (5,316) and passing touchdowns (43). He had 4,694-25 in 2022 as the Buccaneers finished 8-9. Tampa Bay made the playoffs as the champion of the weak NFC South and lost in the opening wild-card round to the Dallas Cowboys.
“I don’t ever believe in the 100-year-old history of the NFL there’s been a quarterback of Tom’s ilk,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft told ESPN’s Mike Reiss on Wednesday. “I don’t know, but I would have trouble ever believing there would be another one.”
As for what’s next for Brady, he signed a 10-year, $375 million broadcasting contract with FOX announced in May 2022.
“Tom will not only call our biggest NFL games with Kevin Burkhardt, but will also serve as an ambassador for us, particularly with respect to client and promotional initiatives,” FOX said in a statement last year.
The Buccaneers are currently well over the projected salary cap in 2023 even without Brady. The options remaining on the depth chart are Kyle Trask and unrestricted free agent Blaine Gabbert.
Thank you for everything, @TomBrady. ????
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) February 1, 2023
Brady becomes eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2028, when recently retired defensive end J.J. Watt would also be on his first ballot for Canton.
The Hall of Fame noted where Brady’s career accomplishments stand at the time of his retirement announcement, and there is little doubt he’ll be a unanimous selection.
As of this morning, @TomBrady has also played in 18% of all Super Bowls. pic.twitter.com/IG9TDteWtO
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) February 1, 2023
–Field Level Media
