GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 01: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 to win Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium on February 1, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Washington [US]: National Football League (NFL) legend Tom Brady has officially announced his retirement on Tuesday after months of speculation and rumors surrounding his future plans.
The future Hall of Fame quarterback declared in a lengthy social media post that he has decided to hang up his cleats after 22 seasons following a week of reflection. “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 on Twitter.
Brady, 44, completed his 22nd season in the NFL following the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Divisional Round.
Brady is a record seven-time Super Bowl winner which means he has won more Super Bowls than any one team has in NFL history. He is also a three-time NFL MVP, five-time Super Bowl MVP, a 15-time Pro Bowler, two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year and a member of the past two All-Decade teams and the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
Brady, who was selected 199th overall by the Patriots at the 2000 NFL Draft, will depart as widely considered the greatest to play the sport, having claimed records for all-time completions (7,263), passing yards (84,520), passing touchdowns (624), starts (316), Pro Bowl selections and Super Bowl MVPs while never registering a losing season across his time with the New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (ANI-image -instagram)
