Tom Bray officially announced his retirement Tuesday, exiting the NFL with seven Super Bowl rings in 22 seasons.
Brady captured his first six championships with the Patriots before leading the Buccaneers to a win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV last season. Tampa coach Bruce Arians expressed his appreciation for Brady following the QB’s retirement, noting in a statement, “it has been an honor to be his head coach.”
“Tom joined us as the greatest football player of all time, and he quickly showed everyone in our organization what that meant,” Arians said. “He set a standard and helped create a culture that took our team to the mountaintop. It has been an honor to be his head coach for the past two seasons.”
“I wish it didn’t have to end, but few players have the opportunity to leave the game on their own terms. Even fewer can do it while playing at an elite level. Tom is the exception. I have a deep appreciation and respect for what he has done for our franchise, and I wish him and his family nothing but the best in this next chapter of life after football.”
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Brady thanked the Buccaneers in his retirement announcement on Tuesday, though he made no mention of the Patriots nor head coach Bill Belichick. The former New England and Tampa Bay quarterback retires as the NFL's all-time leader in completions (7,263), touchdowns (624), passing yards (84,520), and quarterback wins (243). He is a seven-time Super Bowl champion and three-time MVP.
