Three-time MVP Tom Brady officially announces retirement

After days of "will he or won't he," seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady officially announced his retirement on Tuesday morning via a lengthy post on his Instagram account.

"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 sucess is what I love so much about our game. 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," Brady wrote. "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."

It had initially seemed that "TB12" had called it quits over the weekend, but those reports ended up being slightly premature. Brady's final NFL game came in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' NFC divisional-round loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 23.

Brady, 44, was a sixth-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2000 and took over as the team's starter in 2001 when Drew Bledsoe suffered an injury. Brady led the Patriots to six Super Bowl wins and then won a seventh after signing with the Bucs in 2020.

Brady ends his career with a 243-73 record as a starter in regular-season games and a 35-12 record in the postseason. Both win totals are NFL records, as are his 84,520 passing yards and 624 touchdowns. He was named the NFL MVP three times and the Super Bowl MVP five times.