Tom Brady danced around the subject of his playing future during the latest episode of his podcast on Monday night, but the star quarterback has now made his decision official.
Brady is retiring. He issued a lengthy statement on Instagram Tuesday morning in which he said he no longer feels he can make the appropriate “competitive commitment” to playing in the NFL. He also thanked the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their fans, his trainer and best friend Alex Guerrero, his agents and his family.
Notably, Brady did not make any mention of the New England Patriots.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington reported on Saturday that Brady is retiring. Brady’s own brand, TB12, then also tweeted the news, though they later deleted the tweet. What followed was a roller coaster of emotions for NFL fans, with Brady privately disputing the retirement report and the quarterback’s father also delivering a strong response.
There were some wild theories on why Brady did not confirm his retirement after the news leaked. He likely wanted to make the announcement on his own terms.
Brady finishes his career with seven Super Bowl victories and numerous other records. He’s widely considered to be the greatest football player of all time. He spent 20 seasons of his Hall of Fame career in New England before playing the final two for the Bucs.
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