With seven Superbowl titles under his belt over the course of a career that spanned 22 years and brought him to two teams, even his biggest detractors would have a hard time denying that Tom Brady has made a major impact on the NFL.
According to CBS Sports , the first of those wins came early during his second season with the league and the last came after he signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the age of 41.
His impressive longevity and the accolades he’s racked up in that time have kept Brady firmly in the public eye , but that exposure and his winning streak has also earned him a hatedom among non-New England Patriots fans during the 2000s and 2010s. Of course, this was hardly helped by a scandal that saw him accused of deflating footballs in 2015.
Nonetheless, it’s naturally a momentous occasion when such a legendary career comes to an end and Brady has just announced that this bittersweet day has come.
After a weekend of rumors and mixed messages from insiders suggesting Brady was nearing retirement, he tweeted an official announcement on February 1.
He began his statement by referring to football as an “all-in” proposition, saying that success can only come from 100% competitive commitment and through embracing the physical, mental, and emotional challenges that come with it.
And while he believes he has done so throughout his 22 years on the field, that ends today.
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As he wrote, “This is difficult for me to write, but here it goes: I am not going to make that competitive commitment anymore.”
He said this decision came as the result of asking himself a series of difficult questions over the past week.
In his words, “My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it’s best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes.”
His announcement then included a series of acknowledgements, first to his teammates and coaches on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and then to its owners and staff.
From there, he thanked the team’s fans and the Tampa-St.Petersburg region in general before paying homage to the people who inspired and supported him throughout his decades-spanning career.
Finally, he extended his thanks to his family, particularly to his wife Gisele Bundchen.
As he put it, “Her selflessness allowed me to reach new heights professionally, and I am beyond words for what you mean to me and our family.”
As for what comes next for the football star, Brady said that his future days are a “work-in-progress.”
And while he mentioned that they would involve growing the businesses he’s established since rising to prominence, he’s going to take everything else day by day.
In his words, “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.”
h/t: Twitter | @TomBrady