News|American Football

NFL’s GOAT Tom Brady retires again, this time ‘for good’

Seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady, dubbed the ‘Greatest of All Time’ (GOAT), announces retirement after illustrious 23-year playing career.

Tom Brady raises his right hand after an American football game
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady celebrates after a match in November 2022 [File: Andreas Gebert/Reuters]
Published On 1 Feb 2023

Tom Brady, the American football quarterback considered by many to be the most accomplished player of all time, has announced he is “retiring for good”, capping off a 23-year professional career.

Brady made the announcement in a Twitter video on Wednesday, saying “Thank you, guys, for allowing me to live my absolute dream.”

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Brady has had a storied career in the United States’s National Football League (NFL), winning seven Super Bowl championship games, more than any other player. He also holds a host of other records.

He had announced he was retiring last year, only to return for another season.

“I really thank you guys so much to every single one of you for supporting me – my family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors,” he said in Wednesday’s video. “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Brady played 20 seasons for the New England Patriots before moving to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, leading them to a Super Bowl win that year, his seventh.

A year ago when he retired, it was in the form of a long Instagram post. But about six weeks later, he decided to come back for one more run. The Buccaneers made the playoffs again this season, losing in their playoff opener. And at the time, it again raised the question about whether Brady would play again.

Only a couple of weeks later, he has given the answer.

“I know the process was a pretty big deal last time, so when I woke up this morning, I figured I’d just press record and let you guys know first,” Brady said in the video. “I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year.

Brady and supermodel Gisele Bundchen finalised their divorce last year, ending a 13-year marriage between two superstars who respectively reached the pinnacles of football and fashion.

Brady is the NFL’s career leader in yards passing (89,214) and touchdowns (649). He is the only player to win more than five Super Bowls and has been most valuable player (MVP) of the game five times.

Brady has won three NFL MVP awards, been a first-team All-Pro three times and been selected to the Pro Bowl 15 times.

It was announced last year that when Brady retires from playing, he would join Fox Sports as a television analyst in a 10-year, $375m deal.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies