Venus Williams expresses support for NFL superstar Tom Brady amid retirement talk, says "it's about enjoying the competition"
Venus Williams has expressed her support for NFL superstar Tom Brady, saying that as long as he continues to love the game, he should tune out all the noise surrounding his retirement.
At 44 years old, Brady is one of the oldest athletes in competitive sports. His 2022 season came to an end on Sunday after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost in the divisional playoffs.
The Buccaneers won the NFC South and were among the favorites to reach the Super Bowl before being upstaged 30-27 by the Los Angeles Rams.
Almost immediately after the game, questions regarding the quarterback's plans for the future began doing the rounds. Addressing the concerns on social media, the seven-time Super Bowl champion said he was not going to make a decision right away and that he wanted to take some time to reflect on his season.
"I understand that at this stage in my career, there is going to be interest in my future whenever a season ends," Brady wrote. "But this week, all that is on my mind is the gratitude I have for this team and the fans that have supported us all year long."
"I always want to win, I think that’s pretty apparent by now, but that doesn’t mean I equate losing to failure, especially when you go out fighting the way we did...I’ll spare you the Man in the Arena quote, but that feeling is something that I promise I’ll never take for granted. To everyone that was a part of it this year, thank you. I love you all."
Athletes across various sporting disciplines commented on the post to express their support for Brady, including David Beckham, Michael Phelps and fellow quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
Venus Williams, for her part, took to Instagram to congratulate Brady on his longevity, hinting that he was right not to think about retirement yet.
"It's about giving your all. It's about enjoying the competition. It's about leaving it all out there. Bravo, Tom Brady," Venus wrote.
Venus Williams has had a longer career than Tom Brady
Venus Williams' opinion regarding retirement should come as no surprise. Like Tom Brady, Williams, 41, is long past the age most athletes call time on their career.
Williams turned pro in 1994 at the very young age of 14. 28 years later, the former World No. 1 is still going strong. Her last Grand Slam title came in 2008 and she has not reached the second week of a Major in the last four years, but that has not bothered the American.
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Venus Williams, playing in her 90th career major, wins her first match in London in three years. She takes out Mihaela Buzarnescu 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 to advance to the second round! 💪🏼
Made her #Wimbledon debut in 1997, still winning in 2021. 👑👏🏼
#VenusWilliams https://t.co/ap2bGbePe5
Speaking after the 2021 Wimbledon, her most recent Grand Slam appearance, Williams quashed any retirement possibility, saying: "When it's my last, I'll let you know."