This morning, exactly one year after he decided to call it quits for the first time (a decision he ultimately rescinded), Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady said he’s retiring from the NFL “for good.” Throughout his 23-year career in the league, Brady played on two teams, won seven Super Bowls, and set many records.
He currently ranks first for all-time wins (251), Pro Bowls selections (15), Super Bowl MVP Awards (five), completions (7,753), passing yards (89,214), and passing touchdowns (649), just to name a few.
With such an impressive list of accolades, even as a long-time New York Jets fan (the divisional rival of the New England Patriots with whom Brady won six Super Bowls), I must tip my hat to this football legend. I had the privilege of seeing Brady’s last game a few weeks ago when Tampa Bay got shellacked by the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The game wasn’t exactly Brady’s best performance, but he still managed to put on a show while setting a new ESPN viewership record — an impressive feat for a 45-year-old.
Brady can rest easy knowing he will likely go down as the greatest football player ever.