NFL's Tom Brady retires: Here's a look back at his storied career
| Tampa, Fla.
Tom Brady walked away from the NFL on his own terms, still at the top of his game.
Mr. Brady, the most successful quarterback in league history and one of the greatest champions in professional sports, has retired after winning seven Super Bowls and setting numerous passing records in an unprecedented 22-year career.
“This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore,” Mr. Brady wrote in a lengthy post on Instagram. “I have loved my NFL career, and now it is time to focus my time and energy on other things that require my attention.”
Mr. Brady has long stated his desire to spend more time with his wife, supermodel Gisele Bündchen, and three children despite his unique ability to perform exceptionally well at an age when most athletes are way past their prime.
Mr. Brady goes out after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title last season and NFC South championship this season.
News of Mr. Brady’s pending retirement leaked Saturday, but he said Monday night on his SiriusXM podcast he wasn’t ready to finalize his plans.
That came Tuesday morning.
“Right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes,” Mr. Brady said.
Mr. Brady thanked the Buccaneers organization, his teammates, ownership, general manager Jason Licht, coach Bruce Arians, his trainer Alex Guerrero, agents Don Yee and Steve Dubin, and his family in his nine-page post. He didn’t mention the New England Patriots, where he spent his first 20 seasons playing for Bill Belichick. But Mr. Brady thanked the Patriots and their fans on Twitter, saying: “I’m beyond grateful. Love you all.”
Mr. Brady said he’s still figuring out how he’ll spend his time, but he plans to be involved in his TB12 health and wellness company, Brady clothing line, and NFT company.
“I know for sure I want to spend a lot of time giving to others and trying to enrich other people’s lives, just as so many have done for me,” he said.
“My playing career has been such a thrilling ride, 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,” Mr. Brady said. “The competition was fierce and deep, just how we like it. But the friendships and relationships are just as fierce and just as deep. I will remember and cherish these memories and visit them often. I feel like the luckiest person in the world.”
Mr. Brady led the NFL in passing yards in 2021 and, for the first time, openly indicated he wasn’t certain about playing next season. He repeatedly said he would play until he was 45 or beyond.
One of the most successful football players in American history, he won the Super Bowl six times with the Patriots and claimed another Lombardi Trophy in his first of two seasons with the Buccaneers. Mr. Brady reached the playoffs 19 times, won 18 division titles, went 10-4 in conference championships, and 7-3 in Super Bowls.
He leaves behind a list of achievements that will be difficult to match:
- Drafted in the sixth round by the Patriots in 2000 (Michigan)
- Appeared in nine Super Bowls with Patriots, winning six (following 2001, 2003-04, 2014, 2016, 2018 seasons). Won only Super Bowl with the Buccaneers (2020)
- Three-time NFL MVP
- Most Pro Bowl selections ever (15)
- Most Super Bowl MVP awards (5)
- Most career wins (243)
- Most passing yards (84,520)
- Most passes attempted (11,317)
- Most passes completed (7,263)
- Most passing touchdowns (624)
- Most games started (316)
- Most playoff games played (47)
- Most playoff games won (35)
- Most playoff passing yards (13,049)
- Most playoff passing yards in a game (505)
- Most playoff touchdowns (86)
“To finish a 22-year career while still performing at his peak was nothing short of extraordinary,” Mr. Licht said. “I wish we had more time with Tom, but I understand and respect his decision to leave the game in order to spend more time with his family.”
Mr. Brady went from 199th pick in the 2000 draft to replacing an injured Drew Bledsoe in 2001 and leading New England to a Super Bowl victory over the heavily favored Rams that season.
He led the Patriots to consecutive Super Bowl titles following the 2003-04 seasons. No team has since repeated as champions.
But New England wouldn’t win another one for a decade, twice losing to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, including a 17-14 defeat on Feb. 3, 2008, that prevented the Patriots from completing a perfect season.
Mr. Brady earned his fourth ring after the 2014 season. Two years later, in the biggest Super Bowl comeback, he led the Patriots out of a 28-3 deficit in the third quarter against Atlanta to win in overtime for No. 5. Mr. Brady got his sixth championship when New England beat the Rams following the 2018 season.
He joined the Buccaneers in 2020 amid a pandemic, instantly transforming a franchise that hadn’t won a playoff game in 18 years. His buddy Rob Gronkowski came out of retirement to join him and they helped the Buccaneers become the first team to play in a Super Bowl in its stadium.
“He set a standard and helped create a culture that took our team to the mountaintop,” Mr. Arians said.
After starting his first game on Sept. 30, 2001, Mr. Brady was under center for every game except when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 in 2008 and the first four games in 2016 when he sat out a suspension because of the deflated footballs scandal.
“An incredible competitor and leader, his stellar career is remarkable for its longevity but also for the sustained excellence he displayed year after year,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
Known for his work ethic, intense exercise regimen, and strict diet, Mr. Brady was better with age.
After turning 37, Mr. Brady won four Super Bowls and was 17-4 in the playoffs. He was 95-30, completed 65.2% of his passes for 35,371 yards, 265 TDs, and 69 interceptions in the regular season in those eight seasons.
“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,” Mr. Brady said. “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 story was reported by The Associated Press. Material from Reuters was used in this report.
