By: Kaitlin Dandini
Feb. 23, 2023
Photo Credit: Associated Press
On Feb. 1, 2023, Tom Brady announced that he will officially be retiring from the NFL. This date marks exactly one year after Brady announced his initial retirement- reversing the decision 6 weeks later. Brady exits the NFL as one of the most decorated players the game has ever seen.
Brady began his career at the University of Michigan, and as a Junior he broke the single game passing yards record against none other than Ohio State (375 yards). In the 2000 NFL Draft, he was selected 199th by the New England Patriots, and he played only one game his rookie season. The following year, he infamously replaced injured quarterback Drew Bledsoe halfway through the season- leading the Patriots to their first Super Bowl win at the end of that season, and catapulting his winning legacy with the Patriots.
Brady went on to lead the Patriots to five more Super Bowl titles alongside coach Bill Belichick, cementing his legacy in Foxborough. In 2020, Brady moved to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and won his seventh Super Bowl.
Brady now holds records for almost every positive statistic one can imagine. He has won the most Super Bowl titles of any player (7), and was named MVP for five of the games. He holds the all-time NFL record for regular-season wins (251), Super Bowl appearances (10), and is the NFL's leader in both career passing yards (89,214) and touchdown passes (649).
While Brady’s time on the field has come to an end, he won’t be leaving football for good. Brady will return to the NFL as a TV broadcaster, recently signing a 10 year, $375 million deal with Fox. Outside of football, Brady also runs several businesses including the health and wellness company, TB12, as well as a media company and a clothing line.
After a 23 season, record breaking career, Brady is finally leaving the sport for good, but his legacy and impact will live on. Brady completely transformed the Patriots franchise, and his legacy will long be remembered by Patriots and Buccaneers fans alike, as he continues to be known as one of the greatest athletes in history.