Rumors about Tom Brady retiring from the NFL started circulating on Saturday, January 29 due to ESPN sources. On Tuesday, February 2, Brady announced his retirement on Instagram.
Previously, Brady’s goal was to play until he turned 45 years old. This year, Brady is 44 years old, which made fans more on edge about his future plans.
Brady’s career already took one unexpected turn in 2020 when he joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played for the Patriots for 20 seasons and won six Super Bowls with them, so his $50 million contract with another team shocked fans.
Brady did not waste any time, winning another Super Bowl in his first season with the Buccaneers. This brought his final number of Super Bowl wins to seven, as the Buccaneers lost in the Divisional Round of the playoffs this season.
After a devastating loss, fans were disappointed for Brady. He had a great season, and was on the road to win the NFL’s MVP award.
For Brady, this loss brought a time of reflection.
“I understand that at this stage in my career, there is going to be interest in my future whenever a season ends, 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,” Brady wrote on Instagram after the loss. He goes on to express his gratitude for his team, and did not mention his future plans.
Almost a week later, Brady came to Instagram with his official letter of retirement. This post thanked his Buccaneer teammates, fans, coaches, and the surrounding community.
“I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention,” Brady wrote in his lengthy letter.
Brady’s announcement did not leave Buccaneer fans with any questions or hard feelings, but the same cannot be said for the Patriots. In all eight slides on his Instagram post, he did not mention the Patriots once. This comes as a shock, as he spent 20 out of 22 of his NFL seasons with them.
Although there is disappointment amongst all fans, and confusion from patriots fans, the majority of football lovers came together to appreciate all that Tom has Brady accomplished in the NFL. He was a very successful quarterback, and his fans will miss watching him play.
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