Tom Brady, the most successful quarterback in history, has retired from the NFL.
A seven-time Super Bowl champion and an enduring face of the league during a more-than 20-year career, Brady bows out of the sport as the all-time passing yard and touchdown leader.
The 45-year-old initially announced his retirement in February last year, but reversed his decision 40 days later to return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But, after an 8-9 season led to an exit in the wildcard round of the playoffs, Brady insists his career is now concluded “for good”.
“I’m retiring... for good,” Brady said in an emotional video released on social media a year to the day on from his first, temporary retirement. “I know the process was a pretty big deal last time so when I woke up this morning I figured I would just press record and let you guys know.
“You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year.”
A symbol of the New England Patriots dynasty that has dominated the AFC since the turn of the century, Brady was thrice crowned as the NFL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) and has the most wins of any player in NFL history.
He was selected to an All-Pro team on six occasions and led the league in passing touchdowns in five single seasons.
In combination with head coach Bill Belichick, Brady led the Patriots to six Super Bowls after an unconventional route to quarterback stardom.
An unheralded college performer at Michigan, the California native was drafted in the sixth round but emerged as the Patriots starter in his second season, helping the franchise secure their first Lombardi Trophy.
After a 20-year tenure in Foxborough, Brady signed with the Buccaneers in March 2020 and achieve immediate success, being named Super Bowl MVP for a fifth time as he secured his seventh NFL crown.
He led the league in passing in his penultimate NFL season and closes his career with 89,214 passing yards, 649 passing touchdowns and more than 250 regular season wins.
