An icon of the sport resigns, this time there is no resignation: Quarterback Tom Brady announces the end of his career. The NFL superstar says he’s “finally” retiring from football. The 45-year-old concludes his splendid 23-year career.
Farewell forever: Tom Brady is breaking up. With this, an icon of sport and one of the greatest athletes in the USA abdicates. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback says he is “finally” retiring from football, ending his 23-year career in the NFL. Brady won seven Super Bowl titles (six with the New England Patriots and one with Tampa Bay). A record in the US professional league, no one else has won more than five championships. Most recently, teams like the Las Vegas Raiders had shown great interest in the 45-year-old.
Brady announced his decision on social media, saying he wouldn’t change “anything” about his career. “I’ll get straight to the point, I’ll stop,” said the five-time Super Bowl MVP in a video: “I thank everyone for their support. Thank you for letting me live my absolute dream.” Brady fought back tears.
The quarterback announced his retirement after the 2021 season before changing his mind 40 days later and returning to the Buccaneers last year. “I know the process was a pretty big deal last time. When I woke up this morning I figured I’d just hit record and let you guys know first,” Brady said. “I’m not going to be long-winded. All you get is a super emotional farewell to retirement, and I’ve used up my last year. So thank you to each and every one of you for supporting me.”
“My family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors,” Brady said in the video, “I could list people forever, there are too many. Thank you for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I would be nothing change that. I love you all.”
Brady ended his career as the NFL record holder for passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649). This season, the three-time league MVP has thrown for 4,694 yards — the third most in the NFL — and 25 touchdowns. But his Buccaneers went down this year and only with luck did the team reach the playoffs. There it was already over in the first round, against the Dallas Cowboys Tom Brady lost his last professional football game ever 14:31.
What comes after Brady’s great career is still unclear. He could start working as a pundit for Fox Sports immediately after the TV network signed him to a 10-year, $375 million contract last summer. What’s clear is that the most dangerous weapon American football has ever seen is no longer a headache for the competition. Because that’s exactly what the playmaker was always in the months of January and February. In the playoffs, Brady has become a nightmare for any opponent with frightening regularity over the past two decades.
The sports icon will be remembered for all eternity. In the USA, only NBA legend Michael Jordan comes close to Brady, who is now called the GOAT by all American football experts: the Greatest Of All Time.
