Late-pick to legend: Tom Brady retires
Tom Brady, the winningest quarterback of all time, has officially retired. The upcoming 2023 season will mark the first season that Brady will not play since the turn of the century. The seven-time Super Bowl champion, three-time MVP, and 15-time Pro Bowl selection has immortalized himself in greatness. He proved to be an idol for many fans and aspiring athletes, all the while creating a football dynasty.
Nobody expected much when the New England Patriots selected a quarterback from Michigan late in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft. He was a good college quarterback, but in no way was he a highly sought-after prospect—his selection was seemingly nothing more than a backup for Drew Bledsoe, a veteran who had already led his team to the Super Bowl. What happened at the start of the 2001 season caught every football fan by complete surprise; Drew Bledsoe suffered a concussion. He would never start another game for the Patriots, opening the doors to a young and ambitious Brady.
That same season, Brady would lead his team to the playoffs with an 11-5 record, and more to come. His first playoff game led to one of the biggest controversies in sports: the tuck rule. Late in the game, Brady was tackled in the backfield, and seemingly fumbled. The opposing team recovered the ball, but their celebration was short-lived. The officials overturned the fumble, citing the tuck rule, which doesn’t make much sense to anybody. This rule kickstarted what would become the greatest story ever told. The Patriots won that game, advancing to the AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. During that game, a young Brady would go down with a knee injury and be relieved by a recovered Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe led the team to victory and advanced them to the Super Bowl yet again.
Brady returned for the big game and had one thing on his mind: the Vince Lombardi Trophy. New England took a demanding lead and held it until late in the 4th quarter. The Rams tied it at 17 with 1:30 left in regulation. The pressure proved insignificant to Brady, as he marched down the field and set Adam Vinatieri up for what would be the game-winning 48-yard field goal. This would mark Tom Brady’s first Super Bowl, and the beginning of his reign.
He would go on to win six more titles, defeating greats such as Donovan McNabb, Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, and Patrick Mahomes. After winning six titles with the Patriots, Tom Brady brought his talents to Tampa Bay, nicknamed “Tompa” Bay. In just his first season with the Buccaneers, Brady led them to the Super Bowl and defeated Patrick Mahomes’s Chiefs, earning his seventh ring. Following that season, it became clear that it was time for him to retire, despite some of his numbers leading the league. On Feb. 1, 2022, Tom Brady announced his retirement, a moment that stunned the sports world. This retirement lasted only 40 days, as he said he would return to the Buccaneers for the 2022 season.
His final season allowed him to reach 85,000 regular season passing yards, and 100,000 passing yards (regular season and postseason). He won the NFC South and went on to play the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round. The 31-14 loss marked the first time since 2013 that Tom Brady lost in the playoffs in consecutive seasons. It was a disappointing end to his career, but perhaps is the reason for his retirement.
On Feb. 1, 2023, Brady yet again announced his retirement, this time “for good.” He will be eligible to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2028, and in 2024, Tom Brady will begin color commentary for the NFL on FOX. His contributions to the game and the legacy he has built for himself is like no other, and there will never be another Tom Brady.