Seth Udinski, FISM News
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After a weekend full of conflicting reports, Tom Brady himself has confirmed that he is walking away from the game of football after 22 seasons in the NFL.
Brady announced his retirement in a lengthy Twitter thread on Tuesday morning:
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) February 1, 2022
Brady gave numerous shoutouts to teammates, fans, coaches, and his family. But even in his retirement announcement, controversy abounds as he gave no mention of his 20 years with the New England Patriots, instead highlighting his last two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
This leads some to speculate that Brady’s departure after the 2019 season was much uglier than he, coach Bill Belichick, and the Patriots let on, despite the two decades of excellence Brady and the Pats accomplished together.
Still, the controversy surrounding Brady’s announcement in no way diminishes his impact as a player. Many NFL experts believe Brady is not only the greatest quarterback in the history of the league, but the greatest player ever to play in the NFL.
He stands in legendary company among the likes of Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, and Muhammad Ali as one of the most successful athletes in American history.
He holds numerous personal records for NFL passers, including wins in the regular season (243) and postseason (35). He leads the all-time list in passing yards at 84,520, passing touchdowns at 624, and completions at 7,263. His most impressive stats, however, are his all-time leading 5 Super Bowl MVP awards and 7 Super Bowl titles, more than any other franchise in the NFL.
What is perhaps most astonishing about Brady is how he aged. He won his final Super Bowl in his first year on a new team while playing at the age of 43. This made Brady the oldest player to ever appear in a Super Bowl, let alone lead his team to victory. In his final season at the age of 44, he threw for over 5,000 passing yards and 43 touchdowns while leading the Bucs to their first division title in 14 years.
Even his final hour, which ended in heartbreak, Brady was brilliant. He brought the Buccaneers back from the dead against the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round, overcoming a 27-3 lead to tie the game at 27 before the Rams won on a walk-off field goal, 30-27.
Brady walks away setting an unprecedented standard of excellence in the NFL.