Tom Brady, a quintessential figure in American sports widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in the history of American football, recently announced his retirement after an illustrious career that spanned over two decades. The news of his departure from the game sent shockwaves through the NFL community and sparked endless debates among fans and analysts alike. However, Brady’s retirement is surrounded by a haze of skepticism. Exactly one year ago to the day of his recent announcement, Brady made the same announcement, only to decide forty days later to “run it back” for one more year.
Brady, who began his career with the New England Patriots in 2000 after being selected 199th overall in the NFL draft, quickly established himself as one of the top QBs in the league, winning his first Super Bowl championship in just his second season. Over the next 20 years, he would go on to lead the Patriots to a total of six Super Bowl titles and earn himself numerous accolades, including four Super Bowl MVP awards and three NFL MVP awards.
Despite these achievements, Brady’s career was not without controversy. Many times throughout his career, he faced criticism for his on-field antics and off-field behavior, characterized most aptly by the infamous “Deflategate” case, which suspended him for 4 games in 2016. Brady would proceed to win the AP NFL MVP award, Super Bowl MVP, and Super Bowl LI in 2017 following his suspension. In spite of an influx of controversy, Brady has always remained steadfast in his approach to the game, maintaining that his only focus is to win and compete at the highest level.
Following the Patriots’ loss in the 2020 Wildcard, many thought that Brady’s game-ending pick-six was the last pass of his career. However, Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on March 20, 2020 and would go on to throw 2,062 yards more. He had a remarkable season, leading the team to their first Super Bowl championship in 18 years in 2021 and winning his fifth Super Bowl MVP award. This performance cemented Brady’s legacy as one of the greatest and most decorated athletes we’ve ever seen. While his retirement is still relatively up in the air, in decades to come you can expect Tom Brady to be placed on the Mount Rushmore of professional athletes.
