Patriots legend Tom Brady officially announces his retirement from the NFL

After some speculation throughout the weekend, it is has now become official: Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback to ever play the game of football, has announced his retirement.

Brady took to social media on Tuesday morning to announce his decision. He released a statement thanking his current team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his family and support staff. The statement opens with the following two paragraphs:

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. 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 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.

Brady famously entered the NFL as the 199th overall selection in the 2000 NFL Draft, joining a New England Patriots team that would win six Super Bowls with him as their starting quarterback. He took over that position as a sophomore after incumbent Drew Bledsoe suffered an injury early on.

In his first year as a starter, Brady led the Patriots to their first ever championship. He never looked back and won five more titles before leaving to join the Buccaneers in 2020. Already the most successful player of all time, Brady added another Super Bowl ring to his collection in Year 1 in Florida.

Despite still playing at an elite level at age 44, Brady has now decided to call it a career.

Brady’s full post looks as follows: