Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB, announces NFL retirement

Tampa, Fla. – Tom Brady, who won a record seven Super Bowls for New England and Tampa, has announced his retirement.

Brady – the most successful quarterback in NFL history and one of the greatest athletes in team sports – posted the announcement on social media Wednesday morning, a short video that lasted only less than a minute.

“Goodmorning everybody. I’ll get straight to the point,” Brady said as the text began. “I’m retiring. That’s good.”

He retired briefly after the 2021 season, but will return for another year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He retired at the age of 45, owning countless passing records in an unprecedented 23-year career.

A year ago, when he retired, it was a long post on Instagram. But about six weeks later, he decided to come back for another run. The Buccaneers — the team he won the Super Bowl with two seasons ago — made it to the knockout stages again this season, losing in the playoff opening game. And at that point, the question was whether Brady would play again.

Just a few weeks later, he gave the answer.

“I know the process last time was a pretty big deal, so when I woke up this morning, I thought I’d just hit record and let you guys know,” Brady says in the video. “I won’t be long. -winded. You just got a super emotional retirement essay and I used up mine last year.

“I really thank you so much, to each and every one of you who have supported me. My family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors. I can go forever. There is too much. Thank you for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I won’t change a thing. I love you all.”

Brady is the NFL career leader in passing yards (89,214) and touches (649). He’s the only player to win more than five Super Bowls and has been the game’s MVP five times.

Brady has won three NFL MVP awards, been a first-team All-Pro three times, and been selected to the Pro Bowl 15 times.

Brady and supermodel Gisele Bündchen finalized their divorce last fall, during Bucs’ season. It ended a 13-year marriage between two superstars who reached the heights of football and fashion respectively.

Last year, it was announced that when Brady retires, he will join Fox Sports as a television analyst on a 10-year, $375 million deal.