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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady announced he will be retiring from football “for good” on Wednesday.
In a video posted to his Twitter, Brady thanked his fans and teammates for supporting him over his 23-year career.
“I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first,” Brady said.
The announcement comes one year after Brady’s brief retirement in 2022. He returned to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for his 23rd NFL season six weeks later.
“I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement and I used mine up last year,” Brady said.
“Thank you for letting me live my absolute dream,” Brady said. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Brady also wrote the following on Instagram:
I love my family
Tom Brady
I love my teammates
I love my friends
I love my coaches
I love football
I love you all
I am truly grateful on this day. Thank you 🙏🏻❤️
Following the news of Brady’s retirement, Buccaneers’ head coach Todd Bowles said he has the utmost respect for Brady.
“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,” Bowles shared. “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.”
Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht added that Brady helped take the organization to the mountaintop.
“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.”
The Glazer family also added that they’re appreciative of the time they had with Brady here in Tampa.
“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,” the family stated.
“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.”
Brady spent the first 20 seasons of his career with the New England Patriots, who drafted him 199th overall in the 2000 NFL draft. In the following years, an unremarkable draft pick would blossom into an iconic sports figure, leading the Patriots to 17 division titles (11 consecutive from 2009 to 2019), 13 AFC championship games (eight consecutive from 2011 to 2018), nine Super Bowl appearances, and six Super Bowl wins.
He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and led the team to three playoff appearances, winning two NFC South titles and Super Bowl LV.
Brady finished his career as NFL’s career leader in yards passing (89,214) and touchdowns (649). He is also the only player to win more than five Super Bowls and has been MVP of the game five times.
Throughout 23 seasons, he’s won three NFL MVP awards, was selected to the Pro Bowl 15 times, and has been a first-team All-Pro three times.
Last year, it was announced that he would join Fox Sports as a television analyst in a 10-year, $375 million deal.
