Tom Brady, the legendary quarterback and record seven-time
Super Bowl champion, has announced his permanent retirement from the NFL after
a 23-year career. Last year, he initially announced his retirement, but
reversed his decision six weeks later, citing “unfinished business”.
He won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and one with the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers in 2021. Brady’s final season came to an end with a 31-14 playoff
defeat last month.
In an emotional video posted on social media, Brady declared,
“I’m retiring – for good.” He expressed gratitude towards his family,
friends, teammates, and competitors, thanking them for allowing him to live his
dream and stating that he wouldn’t change a thing.
Drafted by the New England Patriots as the 199th pick in the
2000 NFL draft, Brady led the franchise to six Super Bowl victories. The team’s
owner, Robert Kraft, referred to him as “the ultimate champion” and
“truly the greatest of all time”. The Patriots head coach, Bill
Belichick, praised Brady as the “ultimate winner” and acknowledged
his relentless pursuit of excellence.
In 2020, Brady left the Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
and led them to a championship win in his first season, being named the game’s
MVP for the fifth time. Although his return to the game last March resulted in
the first losing record of his career, Brady’s 20 out of 21 seasons as a
starter saw him lead his team to the playoffs. He holds numerous NFL records,
including being the all-time regular-season leader in pass attempts,
completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes, and holds the same
distinction in all four categories in the postseason.
Off the field, Brady and his wife of 13 years, Gisele
Bundchen, announced their divorce in October of 2021 after months of rumors.
Despite a challenging year on and off the field, Brady will forever be
remembered as American football’s GOAT.
