The Tom Brady era in the NFL has come to an end as he announced his retirement Wednesday morning. The 45-year-old quarterback played in the league for 23 seasons, and 20 of the years were with the New England Patriots. When Brady made the announcement, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick shared his reaction.
“Tom Brady was the ultimate winner,” Belichick said, per the Patriots’ official website. “He entered the NFL with little to no fanfare and leaves as the most successful player in league history. His relentless pursuit of excellence drove him on a daily basis. His work ethic and desire to win were both motivational and inspirational to teammates and coaches alike. Tom was a true professional who carried himself with class and integrity throughout his career. I thank Tom for the positive impact he had on me and on the Patriots and congratulate him on his amazing career.”
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Belichick joined the Patriots as the head coach in 2000, which is the same year Brady was drafted by the team. But it wasn’t until the 2001 season that Brady would take over as the team’s starting QB after Drew Bledsoe went down with an injury. From there, Belichick and Brady would lead the Patriots to nine Super Bowl appearances and six Super Bowl wins from 2001-2019. And during the span, the Patriots would make the playoffs every year except for the 2002 and 2008 seasons.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft also shared his reaction to Brady’s announcement. “I am so proud of Tommy. He has accomplished everything there is to achieve in this game, and so much more,” Kraft said. “No player in NFL history has done it as well for as long as Tom Brady. He is the fiercest competitor I have ever known and the ultimate champion. He led the Patriots to two decades of unprecedented dominance. He is truly the greatest of all time. Words cannot adequately express the gratitude my family, the New England Patriots and our fans have for everything he has done.”
Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 and led the team to their first Super Bowl title since the 2002 season that year. This past season, Brady led the Buccaneers to their second straight NFC South title, but the team had an 8-9 record and lost to the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round of the playoffs. Brady finishes his career with seven Super Bowl titles, five Super Bowl MVP awards and the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
