Update Sunday, March 13: Well that was fast. Tom Brady deflated rumors of his retirement with a Tweet declaring that his “place is still on the field and not in the stands. That time will come. But it’s not now.†Brady will rejoin the buccs, which means (as SB Nation noted) the MLB lockout was longer than Tom Brady’s retirement. We can’t do Hertz ads forever.
Update, Tuesday, February 1, at 10:22 a.m.: After a few days of speculation, Tom Brady has announced that, yes, he is retiring from pro football. The 44-year-old Buccaneers quarterback gave the deflating news in a statement posted to Twitter on Tuesday, February 1, without mentioning the New England Patriots. “I have tried my very best these past 22 years. There are no shortcuts to success on the field or in life,†he writes. “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.†Other things like his recently launched clothing line that sells the most mid menswear you’ve ever seen.
Original story follows.
According to the NFL, Tom Brady may announce his retirement from football after 22 seasons. While Brady has not made a formal statement yet, he finished the postseason playing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last Sunday and will allegedly make an announcement sometime soon, per ESPN. For 20 seasons, Brady played for the New England Patriots, helping the team score its first Super Bowl Championship in 2002. He recently left the Patriots in 2020, moving onto the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and earning them a Super Bowl championship the same year. In total, Brady has earned seven Super Bowl wins and holds five Super Bowl MVP titles. ESPN also shared that Brady will “shift his focus to new endeavors.†What might a retired football legend do, you may ask? He can make a return to television by hosting Saturday Night Live again or competing on Dancing With the Stars. He does have dance moves that could use some professional feedback.
The only way to confirm if Brady is actually retiring is hearing the words from the big man himself. In the meantime, below are some statements from the believers, the nay-sayers, and truthers on Tom Brady’s alleged retirement.
The Believers:
Senior NFL Insider Adam Schefter first reported to ESPN, sparking the rumors. He analyzed the retirement with ESPN, sharing that on Brady’s podcast, Let’s Go!, Brady expressed wanting to retire soon to be able to spend time with family.
Schefter also cited Brady’s Instagram post earlier this week about the future of his career as the reasoning behind his alleged retirement. “I understand that at this stage in my career, there is going to be interest in my future whenever a season ends, but this week, all that is on my mind is the gratitude I have for this team and the fans that have supported us all year long,†wrote Brady.
Ian Rapoport, an NFL Insider, claims that Tom Brady does intend to retire, but the pushback for the announcement is based on timing rather than fact.
The Naysayers:
Mike Giardi, NFL reporter, spoke to Tom Brady Sr who claims that his son Tom Brady has not made a decision on his retirement yet.
Kron 4 News reporter Kylen Mills tweeted that the station also spoke to Tom Brady Sr who stated that his son is not retiring.
AP News reported that Tom Brady has told the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that he has not made up his mind on retirement. Brady called Buccaneers’ general manager Jason Licht to clarify that a decision has not been made, in contrast to ESPN’s reporting.
The Truthers:
The Truthers just want a statement from Brady himself. No “he said, she said†(stan Ashley Tisdale), they want cold hard facts! Tom Brady’s agent Don Yee is neither confirming nor denying the retirement claims. “Without getting into the accuracy or inaccuracy of what’s being reported, Tom will be the only person to express his plans with complete accuracy,†said Yee, “He knows the realities of the football business and planning calendar as well as anybody, so that should be soon.â€
This post has been updated.