Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium.
Mark J. Rebilas | USA TODAY Sports | Reuters
Legendary quarterback Tom Brady has contacted Tampa Bay Buccaneers basic supervisor Jason Licht to tell him that he has but to make a remaining resolution concerning his future within the sport, NBC News reported Saturday.
It comes after ESPN and different shops reported Brady had determined he would retire from the game after 22 seasons.
Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion, has been broadly anticipated to announce a call for the upcoming season within the coming weeks.
Brady’s agent, declining to touch upon the accuracy of the studies, mentioned Brady alone will be capable of share his plans with “full accuracy.”
“I perceive the advance hypothesis about Tom’s future. Without stepping into the accuracy or inaccuracy of what is being reported, Tom would be the solely particular person to categorical his plans with full accuracy. He is aware of the realities of the soccer enterprise and planning calendar in addition to anyone, in order that ought to be quickly,” Donald Yee mentioned in an announcement to CNBC.
During a latest episode of his podcast “Let’s Go,” Brady instructed co-host Jim Gray there may be pleasure in “not taking part in soccer” and spending time along with his household.
Brady, 44, left the New England Patriots in 2020 and signed with the Buccaneers to take them to their first Super Bowl in 18 years. Brady turned the oldest beginning quarterback to win a Super Bowl ring at age 43.
But confusion shortly escalated following the ESPN report.
As studies of Brady’s retirement unfold on Saturday, Brady’s firm TB12sports tweeted its because of the quarterback together with a listing of his wins. The firm later deleted the tweet. The National Football League had additionally briefly modified elements of its social media accounts to say “#ThankYouTom” however modified it again.
The NFL declined to remark.
Buccaneers executives and coaches had been bracing for Brady’s retirement prior to now few weeks, ESPN reported. On his podcast, Brady had mentioned there was “no rush” from the Bucs teaching workers and administration in deciding whether or not to return to play.
After leaving the sphere following the Buccaneers’ loss to the Los Angeles Rams, ESPN mentioned Brady seemingly knew it was his final act within the sport. Brady has been towards the concept of a “farewell tour,” nevertheless, saying it may very well be “distracting.”
“I’m proud and happy with all the things we completed this 12 months,” he mentioned concerning the Bucs season and his personal efficiency. “I do know after I give it my all, that is one thing to be happy with. And I’ve actually given all the things I had, this 12 months, final 12 months and the 12 months earlier than that.”
Tom Brady waves to cheering followers as he leaves the sphere following the Bucs victory. The New England Patriots host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an everyday season NFL recreation at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA on Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021.
Jim Davis | Boston Globe | Getty Images
Drafted by the Patriots within the sixth spherical of the 2000 NFL Draft, Brady would depart the NFL as some of the elite quarterbacks that ever performed the game.
Brady appeared within the Super Bowl 10 occasions, profitable seven with two groups. He’s received 5 Super Bowl MVPs, made 15 Pro Bowls, and was named Associated Press NFL MVP thrice. The participant who many labeled the GOAT, or best of all time, of NFL quarterbacks was additionally well-known for main groups to victories within the remaining moments of video games.
Brady is second in all-time in NFL game-winning drives with 53, trailing solely Peyton Manning who has 54. He additionally trails Manning in comeback wins with 42. One of probably the most notable Brady-led comebacks was Super Bowl LI. Though trailing 28-3 within the third quarter to the Atlanta Falcons, Brady nonetheless engineered a 34-28 Patriots win.
But Brady would end his NFL profession first all-time in go touchdowns (624), passing yards (84,520), and passes accomplished (7,263).
Recalling Brady’s greatness to CNBC final April, former NFL working again LeSean McCoy talked about watching him execute in previous scrimmages between the Philadelphia Eagles and Patriots.
McCoy, who performed with Brady with the Bucs throughout the 2020 season, known as him a “drill Sergeant, after which truly taking part in with him, I may see it. He’s so intense and sensible,” LeSean mentioned. “I’ve by no means performed with a quarterback like that.”
But Brady’s profession does embrace on-the-field controversy.
In 2016, he served a four-game suspension for his position in “DeflateGate.” The incident concerned the Patriots, who have been accused of deflating recreation balls towards the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts within the 2014 AFC championship recreation. The NFL fined the Patriots $1 million and docked the franchise two draft picks.
On the sphere, Brady earned practically $300 million in earnings, based on Spotrac, a web site that tracks sports activities contracts. Forbes estimates Brady makes $31 million in annual endorsements. And final June, Brady aligned with the crypto world along with his funding in platform FTX.
—CNBC’s Jessica Golden contributed to this report.