Tom Brady Retires "For Good" After 23 Seasons of NFL Greatness

When looking back at the NFL greats who had taken the field over the last century of American football, Tom Brady, a sixth-round draft pick by the New England Patriots, stands above the rest. Truly there was no better quarterback, leader or competitor to ever call a play or take a snap in the NFL. Tom Brady is the GOAT. Full stop. But now, the GOAT heads for greener pastures, as Tom Brady retires from the game of football for the second time in two years.

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Tom Brady Retires from the Game of Football

Look, it would be easy for us to take this moment and dunk on the three-time MVP for coming out of retirement only to put together a middle-of-the-road season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. But that's too easy. Last year's announcement from the seven-time Super Bowl champion was met with reverence and celebration. The same should be true in 2023.

With little fanfare to the moment, Brady took to social media on Wednesday morning and kept things short and sweet, jumping right into his announcement. Press record, complete your retirement announcement, enjoy the beach. That sounds like a pretty good morning if you ask me.

"It won't be long-winded," the former Bucs QB quipped in the video. "You only get one super-emotional retirement essay, and I used mine up last year."

This year wasn't an easy one for one of NFL History's greatest. The Bucs failed to reach the NFC Championship game, getting eliminated by the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card round, and it was clear that the five-time Super Bowl MVP made a mistake in returning for one more rodeo. Mired by constant breaking news about his divorce from Gisele Bundchen, Brady struggled to find receivers for completions as the Tampa Bay Bucs entered free fall. Before the offseason officially started and before Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs face off against Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles, Brady knew it was time to let his fans know that they had seen him play for the last time.

Tom Brady is the GOAT

The NFL's all-time touchdown leader walks away from a 23-year career that is unrivaled, both in the regular season and the playoffs. With more Super Bowl wins than the Raiders, Dolphins and Bears combined, Tom Brady was king of the AFC for almost two decades with the Patriots.

In the NBA, there's a common debate amongst fans as to which legend can be named the "greatest of all time." The debate usually centers around Michael Jordan and his six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, or Magic Johnson and his five rings. In the NFL, there is no such debate. The GOAT is Tom Brady, but you don't need ESPN to tell you that.

So what's next for Tom? Some much-needed relaxation, probably a Sopranos marathon and then it's back to the grind as Brady gets set for his new career as an NFL analyst. So while this may feel like a farewell to Brady, it's only a temporary sabbatical before he's back on your TV screen. Sitting behind a desk may be a new challenge for the Michigan quarterback, but we've seen him overcome incredible obstacles and reach levels of success never seen in the game of football. We're confident Tom will thrive in his new role and look forward to seeing him every week.

Thanks, Tom. You gave us 23 years of football wizardry and unparalleled greatness and the NFL is better for it. Enjoy retirement.

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