The end of an era — again. Tom Brady received an outpouring of support after he announced his decision to retire ahead of the next NFL season.
“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,” the athlete, 45, explained in an Instagram video, which he uploaded on Wednesday, February 1. “I won’t be long-winded. You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year.”
Brady continued: “Every single one of you … my family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever. Thank you guys for allowing me to live out my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback thanked his loved ones again in the caption, writing, “I love my family. I love my teammates. I love my friends. I love my coaches. I love football. I love you all. I am truly grateful on this day. Thank you 🙏🏻❤️.”
Brady previously joked about speculation that he would retire before the next football season. “That’s right, that’s right. I’m on borrowed time anyway, so,” he quipped on his “Let’s Go!” podcast in November 2022. “I love the sport, so I love the preparation for it. I love seeing us improve and get better. And I think there’s definitely things on the practice field that have improved.”
At the time, the California native noted that he wanted to remain focused “on what we need to do to improve this week and go out and practice.”
Brady previously made headlines in February 2022 when he announced his retirement from the NFL after 20 years as a professional quarterback. Six weeks later, the football player confirmed his plans to return to the game.
“These past two months I’ve realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands,” he wrote via Twitter in March 2022. “That time will come. But it’s not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I’m coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa. Unfinished business LFG.”
After ending his brief retirement, the NFL player opened up about how his career affected his home life.
“There was a lot of decisions that are made and everything. I think the point is everything really comes at a cost — to choose one thing and not another. I just got to make sure I have things balanced out the way that I need to have them balanced out at,” Brady, who shares son Benjamin, 12, and daughter Vivian, 9, with now ex-wife Gisele Bündchen, exclusively told Us Weekly in June 2022. “So, I think for me, it’s just a matter of making sure in the off season, I try to cover a lot of things and make sure a lot of things are taken care of. And then when a football season comes, I can really focus on football.”
Four months later, the quarterback and the model, 42, announced their divorce amid split speculation.
“In recent days, my wife and I finalized our divorce from one another after 13 years of marriage,” Brady wrote via his Instagram Story in October 2022. “We arrived at this decision amicably and with gratitude for the time we spent together. We are blessed with beautiful and wonderful children who will continue to be the center of our world in every way. We will continue to work together as parents to always ensure they receive the love and attention they deserve.”
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Scroll down for all the stars who reached out to Brady after his professional announcement:
