Tom Brady Announces He’s Retiring, This Time ‘For Good’

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32–29 in Super Bowl 38 in Houston on Feb. 1, 2004. Dave Martin/AP Photo

NFL quarterback Tom Brady announced on Wednesday that he is retiring from the league, and this time for good.

In a video posted on Twitter, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback said, “Good morning, guys. I’ll get to the point right away. I’m retiring for good.”

Brady’s retirement video came exactly one year after he announced his first retirement from the league after playing for 22 seasons. That retirement had been short-lived, with the quarterback unretiring just over a month later, in March 2022.

“I know the process was a pretty big deal last time,” Brady acknowledged in his latest retirement video. “So, when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first so. I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year.”

“I really thank you guys so much to every single one of you for supporting me. My family, my friends, teammates, my competitors, I can go on forever, there’s too many. Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing. Love you all,” Brady said.

Brady’s second retirement comes at the conclusion of his 23rd NFL season.

The 45-year-old quarterback has had one of the most successful careers of any football player. Brady holds the distinction as the quarterback with the most Super Bowl victories, winning the league championship game six times for the New England Patriots and a seventh time in his first season playing for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In fact, Brady is both the youngest and oldest quarterback to win a Super Bowl game.

Tom Brady (12) of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers talks with his daughter Vivian on the sidelines prior to the game against the Green Bay Packers at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Sep. 25, 2022. Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images

Brady also won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award five times. Brady played in three other Super Bowl games throughout his 23-season career.

Among a few of his other career highlights include the NFL’s record for most regular-season quarterback wins (251), most career passing yards (89,214 yards, which is the equivalent of about 50.7 miles).

Brady led the Buccaneers to the playoffs in his final season, but the team ended the season with an 8–9 game record as many of the players were sidelined by injuries.

Second Retirement Comes After Divorce

Brady’s second retirement comes after he divorced his wife, Gisele Bündchen, in October.

Brady and Bündchen announced their divorce in an Oct. 28 statement, after 13 years of marriage.

“We arrived at this decision to end our marriage after much consideration,” Brady said at the time. “Doing so is, of course, painful and difficult, like it is for many people who go through the same thing every day around the world.”

Brady had hinted at retiring again in September and Bündchen had said at the time that she had “concerns” about him continuing to play.

After his last Super Bowl win, in 2021, Brady said Bündchen had asked him “what more do you have to prove?”

“The decision to end a marriage is never easy but we have grown apart and while it is, of course, difficult to go through something like this, I feel blessed for the time we had together and only wish the best for Tom always,” Bündchen wrote in her own statement about their divorce in October.

From NTD News