"Hell of a ride, my friend" - LeBron James' wholesome message for Tom Brady on his formal retirement announcement after a legendary career
LA Lakers forward LeBron James and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady have been two legends. While James will continue to etch more chapters, the sporting world was sent into a frenzy Tuesday as Brady took to social media to announce his retirement from the NFL.
It's massive news as one of the greatest to play football has called it a career after 22 years. James and Brady have been two of the most dominant players in their sports.
James took to Instagram to express his appreciation for everything Brady has done on the football field:
"Hell of a ride my friend!! Congrats on a heck of a career!! Thank you for the memories & inspiration throughout 🐐"
LeBron James pays his respect to NFL legend Tom Brady
LeBron James and Tom Brady have been two of the greatest players, with a shared mutual appreciation for each other when it comes to their playing careers. James and Brady have become a pair of legendary players in their sports.
Brady announced Tuesday that he is retiring at 44 years old after 22 seasons in the NFL. He ended his illustrious career as a three-time NFL MVP and seven-time Super Bowl champion. Brady, who entered the league as an unheralded, sixth-round draft pick in 2000, will be considered by many as the greatest quarterback to ever play.
The acknowledgement from James, the LA Lakers superstar, is even more special when taking into consideration that James is on a similar path to Brady. While James was a high school phenom whose debut after being the No. 1 pick in 2003 was highly anticipated, both have won multiple championships and hold many records.
Both molded talent and drive with a passion for staying in peak physical condition.
Brady led the NFL in yards (5,316, the third-highest passing total in league history) and touchdowns (43) this season and won a Super Bowl last season.
James, at 37, has remained one of the NBA's best players this season, averaging 29.1 points per game. LeBron was the leading vote-getter among Western Conference All-Stars. He won his fourth NBA championship in 2000 and has a chance to become the league's all-time scorer next season.
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Many will wonder how many years James will have left. Next season will be his 20th, which is a massive accomplishment. Only eight players in NBA history have played at least 20 seasons. Vince Carter holds the record at 22 seasons, while four played 21 and three played 20.
If James is wondering when he will finally call it a career, Brady's dominance into his 40s could provide hope that LeBron still has plenty of basketball left.
Both players have been two of the most dominant athletes over the last two decades, and it's a special moment to see James give his appreciation to one of the greatest NFL players of all-time.