Tom Brady's 'Imminent' Retirement Has His Haters Rejoicing

By Daniel S. Levine

NFL fans tired of seeing Tom Brady dominate the league for over two decades finally have a reason to rejoice after Saturday's reporting that he might retire. The 44-year-old won seven Super Bowl championships during his 22 seasons, including six with the New England Patriots. His 2021 season came to an early end on Jan. 23 when the Los Angeles Rams bead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, denying Brady a shot at an eighth ring.

On Saturday, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter and Jeff Darlington that Brady was ready to retire. Brady understood that the Bucs' loss to the Rams was likely his "final act" in football, the sources said, and since then he has been thinking about retirement and what is next in his life. Although family and health were the two main factors, the chance that the Buccaneers will look significantly different for the 2022 season played a role in the decision, sources said.

It's not known when Brady will officially announce his retirement. ESPN's sources said he did not want his decision to take the spotlight away from the rest of the NFL playoffs. His agent, Don Yee, also made it clear that the only person who will announce Brady's retirement is Brady himself. However, Yee didn't completely deny the reporting on Saturday.

'What does he have left to prove?'

"I understand the advance speculation about Tom's future," Yee said in a statement. "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. He knows the realities of the football business and planning calendar as well as anybody, so that should be soon."

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'Party's over grandpa!'

Sources told CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora they expect Brady to retire "shortly." The Buccaneers are also preparing for the news since it will force the team to quickly find a new quarterback.

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'Please be true'

"He is very respectful of the game and has great respect for the Tampa organization and all they have done for him," a source close to Brady told CBS Sports. "He understands the ramifications that this decision would have on the team moving forward, and he would never want to do anything to upstage the playoffs. Whatever he decides, I'd expect he announces it soon."

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'Tears of joy'

Brady spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots, winning six Super Bowl titles, three NFL MVP awards, and four Super Bowl MVP awards along the way. In 2020, he signed with the Buccaneers, and won Super Bowl LV and a fifth Super Bowl MVP award. He already owns several NFL records, including most career quarterback wins (243), most career passing touchdowns (624), and most career passing yards (84,520).

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If Brady plays another season out of spite, 'I'll respect him even more'

After Yee's statement was released, Brady's father, Tom Brady Sr., told KRON4 News reporter Kylen Mills Brady is not retiring. "Keep in mind this is what Tom Brady's agent told Adam Schefter. Brady Sr. may be trying to protect his son, but he insisted to KRON that retirement reports are NOT true," Mills reported.

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'Here for a new age in the NFL'

"It's not up to Tom Brady to decide if he's retiring. The Constitution gives that power to the state legislatures," Grace Segers of the New Republic joked.

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