Tom Brady officially announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday, concluding a 22-year career that saw him win a record seven Super Bowl championships.
Brady thanked various members of the Buccaneers organization, including teammates, coach Bruce Arians, general manager Jason Licht, ownership and the city of Tampa in the statement he released Tuesday.
"I am so proud of what we have achieved. My teammates, coaches, fellow competitors, and fans deserve 100% of me, but right now, it's best I leave the field of play to the next generation of dedicated and committed athletes," Brady wrote.
Brady leaves the Buccaneers after spending each of the past two seasons with the franchise. Here are what quarterbacks were also on the roster last season that could be in line to succeed the future Hall of Famer.
- Blaine Gabbert: Gabbert, the No. 10 pick of the Jaguars in the 2011 NFL draft, served as Brady's backup for each of the last two seasons. He appeared in 10 games over that span, throwing just 27 combined passes. This past season, he never threw more than three passes in a single game. Gabbert is set to be an unrestricted free-agent this offseason.
- Kyle Trask: Trask was the Buccaneers' second-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft after playing college football at Florida. As a senior at Florida, he passed for 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns, leading the Gators to be the No. 13 team in the country by season’s end. Trask did not appear in a regular season game last season, though he did play in the preseason, throwing for 312 yards and tossing one touchdown and two interceptions in three preseason games.
The Buccaneers also are currently set to have the No. 27 pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
More Sports Illustrated Tom Brady Coverage:
- 2021 Sportsperson of the Year: Tom Brady
- SI Vault: The Ultimate Teammate
- SI Vault: Magnificent Seventh: How Brady’s Bucs Became Super Bowl Champions
- All Bucs: If Tom Brady Retires, Could The Buccaneers Opt for Kyle Trask as Their QB?
For more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, visit All Bucs.
