On Sunday, ESPN reported that they had multiple sources close to Tom Brady, all saying that he would be announcing his retirement soon, like within a matter of days. Brady got his manager to release a statement saying: it’s not happening yet and I’m not confirming that it’s going to happen. Well, 48 hours later, and here we are. Tom Brady has announced his retirement on Instagram. He wrote:
“I have always believed the sport of football is an ‘all-in’ proposition — if a 100% competitive commitment isn’t there, you won’t succeed, and success is what I love so much about our game,” Brady said in his statement on Instagram. “There is a physical, mental and emotional challenge EVERY single day that has allowed me to maximize my highest potential. And I have tried my very best these past 22 years. There are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life.
“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore. I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention. I’ve done a lot of reflecting the past week and have asked myself difficult questions. And I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes.”
“My playing career has been such a thrilling ride, and far beyond my imagination, and full of ups and downs. When you’re in it every day, you really don’t think about any kind of ending. As I sit here now, however, I think of all the great players and coaches I was privileged to play with and against — the competition was fierce and deep, JUST HOW WE LIKE IT. But the friendships and relationships are just as fierce and deep. I will remember and cherish these memories and re-visit them often. I feel like the luckiest person in the world.”
“To my Bucs teammates the past two years, I love you guys, and I have loved going to battle with you. You have dug so deep to challenge yourself, and it inspired me to wake up every day and give you my best. I am always here for you guys and want to see you continue to push yourselves to be your best. I couldn’t be happier with what we accomplished together.”
People are already climbing all over the fact that Tom didn’t name-check anyone in the Patriots or just “the Patriots family” or anything. I mean, Tom was with the Patriots for close to two decades, it IS weird that he didn’t even mention them, but I do think there were some negative emotions on both sides when he left. As for his retirement… he’s going out on his terms, and I’m actually super-grateful that he didn’t do a “farewell season” with lots of tributes and crying on the field at every game or whatever. Just retire in a simple statement and spend more time with your family, that’s the way to do it.
A statement from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on the retirement of Tom Brady. pic.twitter.com/jkuDjeRVjE
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 1, 2022
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
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- 157441, Tom Brady, Gisele Bundchen at National Geographic’s Years Of Living Dangerously Season 2 world Premiere American Museum of Natural History. New York, NY – September 21, 2016. Photograph: © Darla Khazei, PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Photoshot): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com FEE MUST BE AGREED PRIOR TO USAGE,Image: 532663568, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS, DIRECT SALES ONLY UNLESS STATED OTHERWISE IN CAPTION – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Avalon.red – sales@avalon.red London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles: +1 (310) 822 0419 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251 Madrid: +34 91 533 4289, Model Release: no, Credit line: Darla Khazei, PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- Quarterback Tom Brady (12) listens as United States President Joe Biden makes remarks welcoming the 2021 the Super Bowl LV (Super Bowl 55) Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the White House in Washington, D.C. on July 20, 2021. The event marked the first visit to the White House by the reigning Super Bowl champions in four years.,Image: 622410067, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: picture alliance / Consolidated News Photos, Model Release: no, Credit line: Samuel Corum – CNP / DPA Picture Alliance / Avalon
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- East Rutheford, NJ – New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady plays against the NY Jets at the Giants Stadium. Pictured: Tom Brady BACKGRID USA 25 NOVEMBER 2018 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- East Rutheford, NJ – New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady plays against the NY Jets at the Giants Stadium. Pictured: Tom Brady BACKGRID USA 25 NOVEMBER 2018 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Cambridge, MA – Tom Brady plays football with his sons John and Benjamin at the Harvard University Best Buddies event. Tom caught a pass for a touchdown from fellow Patriot Julian Edelman. Michael Chiklis played football too. Tom was very affectionate with his kids on the field. Brady was once again the star of the weekend, raising a lot of money for Best Buddies during his downtime with a new football season just around the corner. Pictured: Tom Brady BACKGRID USA 31 MAY 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Cambridge, MA – Tom Brady plays football with his sons John and Benjamin at the Harvard University Best Buddies event. Tom caught a pass for a touchdown from fellow Patriot Julian Edelman. Michael Chiklis played football too. Tom was very affectionate with his kids on the field. Brady was once again the star of the weekend, raising a lot of money for Best Buddies during his downtime with a new football season just around the corner. Pictured: Tom Brady BACKGRID USA 31 MAY 2019 BYLINE MUST READ: BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Monaco, MONACO – **FILE PHOTOS** Like many public spaces across the country, parks in Tampa, Florida, are closed to visitors because of restrictions aimed at stopping the spread of coronavirus. That didn’t prevent one man from trying to get an outdoor workout recently. The scofflaw was none other than new Tampa resident Tom Brady, according to Mayor Jane Castor. And, yes, the superstar quarterback was sighted (not cited), she said. Park staff came across Brady while patrolling a downtown park, Castor said Monday during a joint news briefing with St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “I got to tell you this story, too. Now, I always tell people, I’m not one to gossip so you didn’t hear this from me,” Castor said. “Our parks are closed down; and so a lot of our parks staff they patrol around just to make sure that people aren’t doing contact sports and things like that, and saw an individual working out in one of our downtown parks,” Castor said. “And she went over to tell him that it was closed and it was Tom Brady.” Pictured here during a Tag Heuer event during the 76th Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix **SHOT ON 05/26/2018** Pictured: Tom Brady BACKGRID USA 21 APRIL 2020 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New York, NY – Tom Brady is retiring from football after 22 seasons in which he won a historic seven Super Bowl titles. Pictured: Tom Brady BACKGRID USA 29 JANUARY 2022 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady shares a moment with daughter Vivian Lake Brady after winning his sixth Super Bowl, 13-3, against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2019. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS)
At first I was like, can’t he wait until after the Super Bowl and let the Bengals and Rams have their moment? Then I thought, the NFL and the announcers are always so far up his butt that that’s probably all they’d talk about anyway – will he or won’t he retire? (and yes, it was already leaked anyway)
Adios, Brady. Time to let the talented young QB’s like Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen have their time. No longer will we have to listen to the announcers just talk about how old Brady is the whole game.
I was watching a sports talk show yesterday and one of the commentators said that he wouldn’t be surprised if Brady waited until the Super Bowl had already started and THEN announced it officially, which kind of made me laugh.
I mean, I wouldn’t have necessarily have put it past him to do that, but I’m kind of glad that he didn’t. There are almost two weeks before the game, so hopefully by then all of the announcers would have moved on, and the focus could be on the game itself.
Haha, my husband thought Brady was gonna announce he’d play another season only because he was mad that it was leaked.
To give him some credit here, teams are already making moves in terms of trades and free agency.
He knows that if he sat on his decision for another few weeks he would be handicapping the Bucs in their search for a new QB. He had to announce now.
Ehhh I wouldn’t blame Brady for the timing. It’s been pretty widely reported that this got out before Brady was ready, which explains why he almost immediately denied it. He wanted to get control of the situation so he could announce in his own time, in the way he thought was most appropriate.
But once the cat was out of the bag it was too late for that.
I’m sure he had something to do with the leak though
Well I will always be grateful for the 20 seasons he spent as the quarterback of the New England Patriots. I have been a fan since I was a young teen, before I knew Tom Brady or Bill Belichick existed. When they were one of the worst bottom feeder teams in the NFL.
Him not even mentioning the Patriot fans shows what kind of person he is. I stopped liking him when he didn’t go to the White House with the rest of the team and instead went to get a new iPhone. Even Bill Belichick (Trump supporter) went and smiled and laughed his head off with President Obama. I shouldn’t be surprised at his behavior, this is the same man who left his pregnant girlfriend for a richer, more arrogant younger woman.
Good luck to him and his nasty karma.
He and his girlfriend had already split up when she found out she was pregnant. No shame in being an involved, dedicated father who has worked out coparenting issues honorably. He’s worked his tail off for 22 years, giving Patriots fans plenty of wins to gloat over. The Patriots wouldn’t offer him a longer contract after all his years, basically betting against him, so it’s understandable if he focused on the team that DID bet on him when naysayers kept harping on his age. I don’t know if he has any nasty karma or not, but you might for vilifying him without knowing every fact.
Nah. I loved him even after he dumped Bridgette to be with his wife. He broke up with her and moved onto another. Him being a good father to Jack is not a jewel in his crown, that’s what he’s supposed to do. I don’t hate that he left the Patriots because for 20 seasons he sacrificed his body and was THAT dude. He should say thank you to the Patriots fans who were/are Ride or Die for him. Periodt. THAT is what I am criticizing from that statement because it SHOULD be called out for that. He should do better.
I wonder if he was planning on holding off on this announcement, and then when it leaked he had to put it out a little sooner than he may have wanted?
I am a little surprised that he didn’t play for one more year, but it doesnt’ always work out like it did for Peyton Manning (who stuck around for one more year with Denver and got to end with a ring), but Brady has a lot more rings than Manning as it is lol. I just figured he would want to end with a win (so I actually expected him to retire last year) but I guess he knew he couldnt count on that.
As for not mentioning the Patriots or the Kraft family etc….well that says a lot I think. Maybe he thought it was bad form to mention his former team since he’s retiring from the Bucs, but considering he got 6 of his rings with the Pats…..you would think he would at least mention them.
This. Maybe you have to be in New England or FL or just pretty plugged into sports, but this is what reportedly happened.
You have to remember that these athletes have literal teams of people surrounding them during the season from trainers to physical therapists–easy for one person to spill the beans.
“As for not mentioning the Patriots or the Kraft family etc….well that says a lot I think. Maybe he thought it was bad form to mention his former team since he’s retiring from the Bucs, but considering he got 6 of his rings with the Pats…..you would think he would at least mention them.”
@Becks1: I think it says a lot too that he failed to mention the Pats. Especially since Brady mentioned his 22-year football career and a couple of people who he says have been with him since before he joined the league. Even if he was still on bad terms with Bob Kraft, or Belichick, one would think there were some players he got on with or the fans who followed and loved in New England. Anyway, the statement above was classic Brady: guarded.
I don’t follow football – is it true he waited because if he was still with the team up to a certain date he got like a $50 million bonus?? And he delayed the announcement (someone had shared early lol) so he would still technically be with the team and get the bonus?
the majority of his signing bonus ($15 of $20 million) comes due 2/4. it was a bonus for actually signing with team to remain with them this year. These things often have clauses in them or delays that basically amount to accounting maneuvers. He’ll probably still get most if not all of it.
He would have received $15 million of his $20 million signing bonus on Feb 4. Bucs can still choose to pay it out now that he retired.
But short answer, no, that’s not true. Would have been true if he waited till after Feb 4 to announce.
No, things like that can always be clawed back. The bucs may just pay it though, who knows.
I think he planned to wait until after the Super Bowl but the news leaked so he announced it now.
Just my opinion, but I bet the wife put the nix on another year. She probably said it was either football or her. I think he had another season in him. And yes, it was strange he didn’t mention the Patriots at all.
Brady rarely copped to his injuries in real time and it could be his multiple concussion history forcing him from his stated goal of working until he was 45. CTE’s remove quality of life and it would affect the whole family, not just the athlete, Giselle could be finally winning a disagreement here. You never know which injury is ahead. It would be a tragedy if CTE’s take away his health in retirement.
I think you’re right, I was just about to post the same thing. He did mention something about how he needed to spend more time with his family a few days ago, I think she finally put her expensively shod foot down.
Tom did a big post of farewell to New England when he left two years ago so it makes sense that his new farewell post is focused on his current team the Buccaneers.
He took out a full page ad in the Boston Globe thanking the New England fans, the Kraft family, the Patriots organization, and his Patriots teammates when he left. The ad included personal memories about how his kids were born here. He doesn’t need to thank us again.
Yeah exactly. We already said our goodbyes. *sobs*
Exactly this. I wish New England fans would stop whining that he didn’t mention them. He said a very nice goodbye 2 years ago, this time he was saying goodbye to his current team.
He didn’t mention the Patriots but he mentioned the Bucs so this Tampa Bay girl is happy.
Enjoy your retirement, GOAT.
As a Pats fan, I don’t need his thanks – I’m just happy that he gave us so many years of wonderful moments. And I’m happy that the folks in Tampa Bay could share in that, too.
For all the folks who thought it was weird that he didn’t wait, he had until Friday, and if he didn’t confirm by Friday , the Bucs would possibly owe him some money (I’m thinking it’s due to when he signed his original contract with the Bucs.) Something like $15 million at stake due to Friday’s deadline.
So everyone saying that he should have waited till after the Super bowl, I don’t really think he had a choice due to contractual obligations. Always liked him, he is the GOAT. And I have never been a fan of the Patriots or Bucs lol.
I laughed at the line “Success is what I love so much about football.” I mean, congrats to him on not hanging around for declining seasons, I guess.
Girl bye. I sure won’t miss your cheating ass.
I don’t think him not waiting is his fault. Adam Schefter and another reporter broke the story before he was ready to announce. I think he WAS going to at least wait until after the games this weekend. So now his hand was forced and he released this statement.
As someone who doesn’t care an iota about football, I do understand this is a huge moment. The guy has been around since my elementary school days so it is weird in that sense for me, I thought he’d be like the Queen of England and never abdicate. I understand Brady is very talented though I have never watched a football match with him in it. I do find it very bizarre he didn’t mention the Pats or anyone from the Pats once. He spent nearly his entire career and all of his career milestones with the Pats, his retirement statement seems so passive aggressive. 😂 I dunno if that means anything about him as a person but this announcement neither saddens or gladdens me. I just find his Pats omission super perplexing. Years from now I’m sure we’ll get documentaries about all the behind the scenes BS with him leaving the Pats/joining the Bucs.
@amelieoriginal since you don’t care about football or even Tom Brady enough to wactch a game why bother formulating an opinion on this? That is so funny!
I’ve “loved to hate” TB for many years while he was in new England and then really started appreciating him in Tampa he’s been showing a different side of himself personally in the past 2 seasons.
The guy set a crazy number of records and new standards for the QB position over a record length career. He said what he wanted to say in his retirement note. Periodt!
AmelieOriginal: helpful hint: it’s a football game, not a football match.
I don’t think Brady was really feeling it this past season. It was kind of obvious he was done, even if he didn’t know it. I think Gronk has another year on his contract, wonder what he will do?
Anyway, I’m just relieved I don’t have to hear about him or listen to him anymore. I find him tiresome and have since the “Inflategate” cheating scandal. Now we just need Rodgers to retire and we’ll be done with all three old, tiresome QBs in the NFL.
@lululu how did you figure out TB wasn’t feeling it and was done this year? Buccs went 13-4 and 2nd seed in NFC…
BTW, scandal was deflategate, no one was accused of over-inflating footballs lol. NFL is extremely corrupt and has a shite record for investigations. I was no fan of Pats/Belichick philosophy to seemingly exploit every grey area loophole in the game but I think that investigation was seriously bungled. On that note I’m still waiting for any results of the WFC investigation to be released there’s been a remarkable lack of transparency in what was discovered. Somehow Jon Gruden’s emails to WFC exec were leaked but nothing implicating WFC themselves… WFC have received some discipline but zero leaks on the specific details.
Mahomes!
oh noes! what will Morticia and Gomez do for help now?!
One article that I read and appreciated by a sports journalist was that with all the encomiums, never forget that Tom was a cheater, too (Spygate and Deflategate). Find and read the article. It gives some balance and perspective to all the fanboys crying into their beers. I wish Rodgers would retire too, but I think he’s going to the Broncos (no announcements yet). He’ll play well all the regular games and then fuck up during the NFC’s and never get them to Superbowl (his pattern for 11 years with the Packers, yet he’s the GOAT for . . . reasons).
Deflategate has been proven to be a fake scandal. Tom didn’t do anything
Boy Bye!
Although I won’t believe it until I don’t see him on an opening roster.
I wouldn’t put it past him to change his mind if another opportunity came along.
I’m glad he made it official and retired while he is still in pretty good health.
7 SB wins, many $millions in the bank, why risk a big possible injury?
Didn’t Peyton Manning have a neck injury that was fairly risky to keep playing with? IIRC, he had a pretty major surgery, or 2, and retired on a SB win.
I’m so old, I will always love Joe Namath. He paid a heavy price for his NFL career health-wise.
And Namath never made the huge money this generation of QBs did.
Wonder what Brady will do next? Elway became GM after retiring.
Aud, He destroyed his phone because he wrote to the guy who was the Deflater (according to the journalist, that was actually what the guy was called, “You can’t make this stuff up.”) Tom was suspended 4 games, I think and the Patriots were fined and lost two first picks? The punishments happened and stuck. So the denial of Tom’s cheating is wishful thinking. He could be a great football player and also have cheated. The two can be true (the second is certainly true) at the same time.