Tom Brady retires: Seven-time Super Bowl champion to call it a career after 22 seasons
According to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is retiring.
Tom Brady officially retires. His comments had him going this way. Now official. twitter.com/jeffdarlington…
The 44-year-old quarterback last played in the Buccaneers' 30-27 loss against the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL divisional matchup last week. He said after the game that he would be spending time with his family before deciding his future. But the quarterback has seemingly decided to call it a day on his run in the NFL.
Brady played 22 seasons in the NFL, the first 20 with the New England Patriots and the last two with the Buccaneers. He won seven Super Bowls and five Super Bowl MVP awards, both NFL records.
He retires as the NFL's leader in almost every relevant quarterback stat. He's the league's all-time record-holder for passing yards (84,520), passing touchdowns (624), and wins (243).
Family first for Tom Brady
The quarterback has been candid about the sacrifices his wife, former supermodel Gisele Bundchen, has made to ensure he can continue playing in his 40s.
Over the past month, he has opened up about how it pains his wife to see him take hits on the field and his desire to put his family ahead of his incredible career. Rapoport reported that spending time with his family eventually led to the quarterback's decision to retire.
When Tom Brady began speaking on his podcast about putting family first, you knew it was time. No retirement tour. Just walking away.
Brady has yet to officially announce his decision to retire, but TB12 Sports, the quarterback's venture alongside long-time trainer Alex Guerrero, shared a tribute post on their social media account for the seven-time Super Bowl champion.
7 Super Bowl Rings.
5 Super Bowl MVPs.
3 League MVP Awards.
22 Incredible Seasons.
Thank you for it all, @TomBrady. https://t.co/GcJDqTt9fj
Brady will likely follow suit and release a statement on social media announcing his retirement. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer joins Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in calling it a day on their career after a legendary run.
It remains to be seen whether the quarterback will sign a one-day deal with the New England Patriots to retire with the team that drafted him and was his home for 20 seasons. Team owner Robert Kraft and the quarterback have a special bond and he will undoubtedly be offered the chance to retire as a Patriot.