Brady hangs up the helmet

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past two decades, you know who Tom Brady is, and rightfully so. Brady has become a household name.

After a week of rumors, on Feb. 1, 2022, Tom Brady officially announced his retirement after a legendary 22-year career. The 44-year-old made this announcement via Instagram, saying that football is a full-time commitment, and that he feels as if he can no longer keep up that commitment. He thanked the fans and his team before taking his final bow.

Brady began his college football career as a backup quarterback for the University of Michigan before being drafted to the New England Patriots in 2000. In 2001, he became a starter for the Patriots, and in the following year, 2002, Brady picked up his first Super Bowl victory. With the New England Patriots, he had six Super Bowl victories: 2002, 2004, 2005, 2015, 2017 and 2019. He played for the Patriots for 20 years, until 2020.

As with many other famous athletes, Brady was no stranger to controversy. In 2015, the NFL published a report stating that in the AFC championship game, the footballs were intentionally deflated, and Tom Brady was “generally aware” of the intentional deflation. The NFL suspended Brady for four games as punishment. This was eventually taken to court, and the judge ruled in favor of Brady, repealing his suspension. The judge cited that the NFL failed to give Brady proper notice of the accusations being brought against him and the potential for suspension.

In 2020, Tom Brady made the most shocking and divisive decision of his career. On March 17, 2020, Brady’s contract with the Patriots expired. Three days later, on March 20, 2020, Brady officially signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This shocked his teammates and fans alike, as he’d spent the vast majority of his career with New England.

Tom Brady made sure the last two years of his career were memorable ones. He picked up his final Super Bowl victory in 2021, defeating the Kansas City Chiefs and their popular quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. In total, Tom Brady has a record seven Super Bowl wins under his belt.

Brady has had an unforgettable run in the NFL. His announcement closes the books on the career of someone whom many regard as the greatest of all time.

By Evan Majors