Tom Brady officially retired – for a second time – on Wednesday. After three seasons with the Bucs and 23 years in the NFL, including his first 20 in New England where he won six Super Bowls, Brady has said his final farewell to his playing days on social media. Brady went 32-18 with the Bucs in the regular season and 5-2 in the playoffs, including a Super Bowl championship in 2020 and two division titles in 2021 and 2022.
Brady’s 32 wins are the third-most by a Bucs quarterback in franchise history, and despite playing just three seasons with the team, he is near the top of every one of the franchise’s passing lists. He finishes third in passing yards (14,643), second in passing touchdowns (108), second in completions (1,376) and third in passing attempts (2,062).
The 2022 season was a tumultuous one for him and the Bucs, as they struggled to an 8-9 record and a first-round playoff loss. Even still, Brady threw for 4,694 yards and 25 touchdowns to nine interceptions as Tampa Bay repeated as NFC South champions.
Of course, Brady’s overall career was even more impressive. He spent 20 seasons with the Patriots and three with the Bucs, totaling 89,214 passing yards, 649 touchdowns, 12,050 passing attempts and 7,753 passing attempts. All of those are NFL records. He won seven Super Bowls, five Super Bowl MVPs and made 15 Pro Bowls.
After his retirement announcement on Wednesday morning, the Bucs organization responded by thanking the G.O.A.T. for making such a huge, positive impact on the franchise.
The Glazer family
“Tom’s impact on our franchise these past three years has been immense and we are appreciative of the time we had with him here in Tampa Bay. He set an exceptional standard that elevated our entire organization to new heights and created some of the most iconic moments in our history. Tom’s impact will be felt within our community for many years to come and we will forever be grateful for those unforgettable memories that he provided during these final seasons of his legendary career. We wish him the best in this next chapter of life and are confident he will find similar success in his future endeavors.”
General manager Jason Licht
“Tom’s legacy is unmatched in the history of this game. All the Super Bowl titles and statistical records speak for themselves, but the impact he had on so many people through the years is what I appreciate the most. His imprint on this organization helped take us to the mountaintop. We will certainly miss him as our quarterback, but I will also miss him as a leader and friend. Our entire organization is indebted to him for what he provided us over the past three years. We won’t ever forget the wins or the accolades and his influence will be felt for years to come.”
Head coach Todd Bowles
“I have always had the utmost respect for Tom Brady as a football player, as a winner and as a person. It wasn’t until he joined us three years ago that I was able to truly appreciate him as a teammate. Even before I became head coach, we communicated often and had a strong relationship built on mutual respect and a desire to win. That connection only grew over this past season as we fought to get the most out of our football team. I greatly appreciate the leadership he provided and am thankful our time together.”
More must-reads: