Last February, at the age of 45, Tom Brady, one of the greatest NFL players to ever step on the field, announced he had retired, only to change his mind forty days later and once again return to his spot as starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With Seven Super Bowls, three-time league MVP recognitions, and numerous records, the superstar has had one of the most decorated careers in the history of the football. Now, a year later, Brady announced in his retirement video last Wednesday, on February 1, 2023, “I’ll get to the point right away. I’m retiring. For good.”

Starting off from a widely-known low position at the beginning of his career, he was drafted as the No. 199th pick by the New England Patriots in the 2000 NFL draft. He had little to no playing time in his rookie year, achieving a bare amount of recognition in the league then. However, in the next 23 years of his illustrious career, with his incredible work ethic and talent, Brady proved people wrong, demonstrating what kind of a player he really was and reaching an above and beyond point that no other football player has ever achieved. 

In the year of 2000, Brady began his career behind six other quarterbacks on the Patriots’ roster. In his first NFL season, he was only able to play in one game, in which he made a below-average performance of one out of three passes completed for a total of only six yards. However, in the following year, a completely different player came back to the team. Brady finally earned his starting spot as QB1 and redeemed his past by doing the impossible— winning a Super Bowl. In only his second professional season, not only did he lead the team to a Super Bowl title, but he was also named Super Bowl MVP, which made his performance all the more impressive. The 2001-02 season revolutionized his career, as it took a drastic change that would last until the moment he retired (for the second time). In a statement, Bill Belichick—Brady’s former head coach with whom he worked with for 20 years in New England—said, “He entered the NFL with little to no fanfare and leaves as the most successful player in league history.”

In the next 23 years, Brady went on to clinch six more Lombardi trophies (Super Bowl trophy), six total with the Patriots and one with the Buccaneers, for a historic record of seven—the most all-time by any football player in the NFL. With this record, he was able to surpass his basketball-playing counterpart, Michael Jordan (6), in total number of league titles as the two renowned greats are often compared for their immense impact on their sports. Outside of the Super Bowl finals, the prestigious quarterback ended as the holder for several other unprecedented records: passing yards (89,214), passing touchdowns (649), completions (7,753), division titles (19), wins by a starting quarterback (251), and the list goes on. In the midst of all of these accolades, the one that seems to be the most mind-blowing, especially when first hearing about it, is the fact that he’s the only player to come out victorious against all 32 teams in the NFL. 

As a result of his retirement, Brady’s fans question what the next era of his life will look like. However, in fact, it seems like the football legend already has his future plans in mind. In the summer of 2022, Brady signed a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox Sports that will usher him into the international enterprise as a new TV broadcaster and sports analyst. This extensive deal will let him still be a part of the sports world, nonetheless, with a different role in it. Additionally, Brady will be working on developing several other projects of his, as he has launched his own clothing line (BRADY), sports media company (Religion of Sports), productions company (199 Productions), and his relatively most prominent company—a health and wellness brand named TB12 Sports. While it obviously won’t be the same as professionally playing his designated sport, Brady will still be involved in the sports industry, impacting it in several different ways now. 

As Brady’s fans, supporters, friends, and family are still processing the fact that they won’t see him on the field next season, some of them have expressed their praise and appreciation for the number 12’s impact on the community of American football. In gratitude for his contributions to the franchise, owners of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Glazer family, articulated, “We will forever be grateful for those unforgettable memories that he provided during these final seasons of his legendary career.” Being one of the greatest athletes in all of sports, the world of sports will forever be in debt to Brady, and especially, the NFL, will deeply feel his absence on the football field. As Brady said once more, “Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream. I wouldn’t change a thing.”