New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick shared a reflection on Tom Brady’s retirement announcement on Thursday.
Brady called it a career after 22 seasons, seven Super Bowl wins and five Super Bowl MVP awards. He played 20 years for Belichick’s Patriots and two years for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“I thank Tom for his relentless pursuit of excellence and positive impact on me and the New England Patriots for 20 years,” Belichick said in a statement on Wednesday.
During Brady’s time with the Patriots, he finished with a 63.8 completion percentage, 74,571 yards, 541 passing touchdowns and 179 interceptions.
“I am privileged to have drafted and coached Tom Brady, the ultimate competitor and winner,” Belichick said. “Tom’s humble beginning in professional football ultimately ended with him becoming the best player in NFL history. Tom consistently performed at the highest level against competition that always made him the number one player to stop. His pursuit of excellence was inspirational. Tom was professional on and off the field, and carried himself with class, integrity, and kindness.”
Bill Belichick releases his statement on Tom Brady’s retirement: “I thank Tom for his relentless pursuit of excellence and positive impact on me and the New England Patriots for 20 years.” pic.twitter.com/bMRc0jiTkF
— Henry McKenna (@McKennAnalysis) February 3, 2022
Belichick’s statement follows similar sentiment from Patriots owner Robert Kraft. While Brady’s retirement announcement didn’t acknowledge the Patriots portion of his career, he may have time to celebrate New England in the coming months and years.
