After a brilliant 20 years with the New England Patriots that saw him become the most successful quarterback in NFL history, Tom Brady announced his retirement from the team on Tuesday.
Brady, 42, announced his departure on social media in a number of posts, although he did not reveal where he will play the next season.
Brady released a statement saying, “Even though my football journey will take me somewhere else, I appreciate everything that we have achieved and am grateful for our incredible TEAM accomplishments.”
“It’s time for me to start a new chapter in my life and career, even though I’m not sure what the future of football holds for me,” he continued.
With a career spanning three decades with the Patriots that included a record six Super Bowl championships, Brady is widely considered the best quarterback in NFL history.
In addition to winning a record four Super Bowl MVP trophies, he was the NFL’s MVP three times, in 2007–2010 and 2017.
At 41 years old, he led the Patriots to a victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the previous season, becoming him the oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl.
Brady’s incredible durability is demonstrated by the fact that his nine Super Bowl appearances in all set a record for any NFL player.
His exit from New England puts an end to one of the most recognizable double-acts in NFL history: Bill Belichick and the Patriots head coach.
Known as “the greatest,” Belichick has been in command of New England since the beginning of Brady’s career. Using the 199th selection in the 2000 NFL draft, he took Brady out of obscurity and developed him into a championship quarterback.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Belichick called Brady the “greatest quarterback of all time.”
Belichick remarked, “Coaching Tom Brady for 20 years has been a privilege.”
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He did more than just act. He was not content to win. He repeatedly won championships.
“It sometimes takes time to genuinely appreciate something or someone in life, but Tom has not required that to happen.”
Brady has consistently said that he intends to play until he is in his mid-40s, but after he and the Patriots were unable to come to an extension last year, there was much discussion about his future.
It has also been stated that Brady and Belichick’s relationship has deteriorated in recent seasons as the quarterback grows more and more at odds with the coach’s strict, tough-love style of coaching.
Still, Brady has maintained a tight relationship with billionaire Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who declared on Tuesday that he thought of the quarterback as a son.
“How can I express how much I appreciate Tom Brady for everything he has done for us over the past 20 years, or how sad it makes me feel to know it’s coming to an end?” Kraft stated in a release. “I will always love Tom as if he were my son.
“I had anticipated that Tom would finish his incredible career in a Patriots uniform after winning another Super Bowl, not that this day would ever arrive.
Sadly, the parties were unable to come to a consensus that would have made that goal a reality.
“Even though I’m sad today, I’m really grateful for all of his contributions to our team and the community.”
– Frustrating season – With an inexperienced receiving corps and a deep lack of the towering presence of retired tight end Rob Gronkowski, Brady was frequently visibly upset during what ended up being his final season with the Patriots.
The Tennessee Titans stunned the Patriots 20–13 at home in January to send them to the wildcard round of the playoffs.
Brady has remained silent about his future since that playoff exit, despite reports that other teams are pursuing him ahead of Wednesday’s start of free agency.
He had been connected to a potential move to Tennessee, but that prospect was apparently shelved when the Titans decided to hold onto Ryan Tannehill.
Three teams are thought to be Brady’s most likely possibilities now that the Titans are eliminated: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Though the Bucs haven’t made the playoffs since 2007, so a transfer to Tampa Bay would be viewed as a significant step down, Brady may be drawn to the Raiders and Chargers for different reasons.
The Chargers, who parted ways with veteran quarterback Philip Rivers at the end of the previous campaign, are also hoping to add a big name as they get ready to move into their new $4.9 billion (4.46 billion euro) SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, the Raiders will open the upcoming season in their gleaming new stadium in Las Vegas.
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