The Buccaneers quarterback put all doubts to rest, saying on Instagram that he was hanging up his cleats.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady told fans Tuesday that he is retiring from football, saying it's time to focus on other things after an illustrious NFL career spanning 22 seasons.
A lengthy Instagram post from Brady, 44, winner of seven Super Bowls, put to rest nearly 72 hours of speculation as reports first emerged on Saturday afternoon that he would be hanging on.
Brady wrote about the brutal physical toll and utter commitment to playing football at the highest level. He made only vague comments about future endeavors.
"It's hard for me to write that, but here it goes: I'm not going to make that competitive commitment anymore," wrote Brady, the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdown throws.
"I've loved my NFL career, and now is the time to focus my time and energy on other things that need my attention," he said.
Brady just finished his second campaign with the Buccaneers as the defending Super Bowl champions lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC semifinals.
Brady rallied from a 27-3 deficit to tie the Bucks late, before Matt Gaye's field goal at the gun won it for the Rams a week earlier on Sunday.
As the game ended, speculation intensified about Brady's future and whether he would return to Tampa Bay for the 2022 season.
And as recently as Monday, it was unclear if Brady was getting the hang of it.
"I think when the time is right, I'll be ready to make a decision one way or another," he said on the Sirius XM podcast Let's Go!
But on Tuesday at 9:35 a.m. ET, Brady made it official.
"I've been through a lot in the past week and asked myself tough questions," he wrote. "And I'm very proud of what we've achieved."
The will-or-not-that drama had become a running joke throughout the sports world.
Brady's regular punching bag New York Jets jokingly tweeted Tuesday, "It will get better."
"But seriously, first ballot, congratulations on a Hall of Fame career," said the Jets, who lost 30 of 37 games for teams led by Brady. "We won't miss seeing you on the field, but the whole football world will."
Brady did much to thank almost everyone in his inner circle, including family, teammates and coaches.
By name, he shouted out the owners of the Books, the Glazer family, Tampa Bay general manager Jason Licht, the Books coach Bruce Arian, personal trainer Alex Guerrero, agents Don Yee and Steve Dubin, his wife, Gisele Bündchen, and their children, Jack. , Beni and Viv.
Brady has spoken openly about his wife's desire to quit football and the emotional pain with every hit she takes.
"Her selflessness has allowed me to reach new heights professionally, and I am beyond words about what you mean to me and our family," he wrote on Tuesday.
He added a sentence to Bündchen's native Portuguese, "Te amo amor da minha vida," or "I love you, the love of my life."
Despite playing two seasons in Tampa and two decades in Foxboro, Massachusetts, Brady clearly failed to make any mention of the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick in Tuesday's lengthy statement.
Under Belichick, Brady and the Pats captured Super Bowl titles in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017 and 2019.
Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft thanked Brady for taking the franchise in between what would become great dynasties in modern games.
"Words cannot describe my feelings for Tom Brady, and neither can my gratitude to my family, the New England Patriots, and our fans, for all that he has done during his career," Kraft said in a statement Tuesday. Did it for Tom."
"In a team sport like football, it's rare that one person has such a powerful influence on a team's success," he said.
Brady stunned football word in the spring of 2020, when he left New England for Tampa Bay.
"My playing career has been such a thrill ride, and so far beyond my imagination, and full of ups and downs," wrote Brady, a San Mateo, California native who was a sixth-round draft choice from the University of Michigan. ,
"When you're in it every day, you don't really think about any kind of ending. As I sit here right now, though, I think of all the great players and coaches with whom and I had the privilege of playing against - the competition was fierce and intense."
Before Brady arrived in Tampa, the Buccaneers had captured one Super Bowl title in 44 seasons. The franchise is known for its 26-game losing streak, which ended soon after its birth as an expansion franchise.
Brady left the Bucs bringing home a Lombardi Trophy in just two seasons of play.
"Tom arrived in Tampa Bay with an unprecedented level of anticipation and delivered some of the most memorable moments in our franchise history," the Glazer family said in a statement.
"His impact on our team and community was immediate and profound. Tom's remarkable NFL journey has come to an end, but we will continue to celebrate his legendary career as the greatest quarterback of all time and appreciate and appreciate the time he spent." Grateful. A Buccaneer," Glazers said.
Widely considered the greatest quarterback in NFL history, Brady leaves the game with more yards (84,520) and touchdown throws (624) than any other quarterback in the history of the game.
Beyond numbers, Brady left behind an unprecedented legacy of victories, winning not only seven Super Bowl rings but 10 title games as well.
This past season was one of his best; He passed for 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns, both league highs.
The high level of play prompted Brady to open up about playing until the age of 50, which was simultaneously a mind-blowing and realistic goal.
The next oldest players to follow suit in the NFL last season were 39 and 40. The group included recently retired Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, two offensive linemen and two punters.
The Super Bowl, which will be broadcast by NBC on February 13, will feature the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals, led by head coaches much younger than Brady — Sean McVay, 36, and Zack Taylor, 38.
Brady's longevity has been a source of wonder for years, and he has tried to take advantage of it with books about health, diet, and exercise.
Getting plenty of sleep, not eating late at night and exercising early in the morning is one of the most basic elements of their diet. But he has also taken an unconventional stance against nightshade vegetables like potatoes, peppers, brinjals and tomatoes.
Brady has been a vocal critic of the food industry, famously calling out beloved American brands Coca-Cola and Frosted Flakes in 2015.