Tom Brady is retiring for what he claims is the final time.
One year after he felt rushed by news leaks into a retirement that ultimately lasted only 40 days, Brady announced Wednesday he is finished after setting all major quarterback records and winning a record seven Super Bowls during a 23-year career with the Patriots and Buccaneers.
“I’ll get to the point right away: I’m retiring. For good,” an unkempt Brady said in a 53-second social media selfie video filmed on a beach. “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.”
Brady, 45, was about to be a free agent for the second time in his career. Established as the Greatest of All Time after 20 seasons with the Patriots, Brady signed with the Buccaneers in 2020 from a surprisingly limited field of suitors and immediately won his last Super Bowl. There was chatter that he could re-sign with the Buccaneers or join the Raiders, 49ers, Jets or Patriots, but he opted for a less-than-Hollywood ending.
Brady informed the Buccaneers of his decision at 6 a.m. and published his pre-filmed video about two hours later, according to reports.
“You only get one super emotional retirement essay and I used mine up last year,” Brady said just before his voice started to crack. “I really thank you guys so much, to every single one of you for supporting me: My family, my friends, my teammates, my competitors. I could go on forever. There’s too many. Thank you guys for allowing me to live my absolute dream.”
Brady was the best player on an underwhelming team in his final season, leading the NFL in completions (490) and pass attempts (733) while finishing with a losing record (8-9) for the first time in his career. Champions of the moribund NFC South, the Buccaneers were trounced by the Cowboys in the playoffs.
“Tom’s impact on our franchise these past three years has been immense and we are appreciative of the time we had with him here in Tampa Bay,” the Glazer family, owners of the Buccaneers, said in a statement. “He set an exceptional standard that elevated our entire organization to new heights and created some of the most iconic moments in our history.”
It was a trying year off the field, too. Brady’s unretirement citing “unfinished business” coincided with the end of his 13-year marriage to supermodel Gisele Bundchen, with whom he shares two children. They divorced in October, 229 days after he returned to the NFL against her wishes for a different future, Page Six reported.
“Wishing you only wonderful things in this new chapter of your life,” Bundchen commented Wednesday beneath Brady’s Instagram announcement.
The next chapter is supposed to include a spot in the Fox broadcast booth for top NFL games, though there are questions about whether he is fully committed to that path. He signed a 10-year, $375 million contract, as The Post exclusively reported, to jump into the analyst’s chair when he is ready — in 2023 or after a gap year — and bump highly regarded Greg Olsen out of his spot next to play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt.
Brady also founded a self-named clothing line, “199 Productions” company, and the “TB12 Sports” health and wellness brand.
Michael Jordan, another G.O.AT., unretired twice before settling into his role as an NBA team owner. Rob Gronkowski, who unretired from the Patriots to follow Brady to the Buccaneers, wrote “welcome to the 2x retired club” under Brady’s announcement. Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, who joined the media in a lesser role and is under investigation as part of a political corruption case, unretired twice before his final pass.
“Well, based on my own experiences, I have to see it to believe it,” Favre said on Fox’s Varney & Co. “But my gut tells me this is it for him.”
Drafted with pick No. 199 overall in the sixth round in 2000, Brady’s underdog story for the ages truly began on Sept. 23, 2001, when he replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe against the Jets. He made the first of 335 career starts the next week and won his first championship by the end of that season.
“No player in NFL history has done it as well for as long as Tom Brady,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “He is the fiercest competitor I have ever known and the ultimate champion.”
First eligible for the Hall of Fame’s class of 2028, Brady retires as the NFL’s all-time leader in regular-season completions (7,753), passing yards (89,214) and touchdowns (649), and his record 251 victories included the NFL’s only 16-0 season in 2007. But the five-time Super Bowl MVP separated from all the other greats in the postseason, winning 35 of 48 playoff games and more Super Bowls (seven) than all 32 franchises while making 10 appearances in the big game (two losses to the Giants and one to the Eagles).
Brady and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick didn’t always see eye-to-eye at the end of their two-decade union, but any bad blood appears to have thawed. Belichick released a statement to “thank Tom for the positive impact he had on me” and credit his “work ethic and desire to win” for driving teammates and coaches.
“I wouldn’t change a thing,” Brady said in signing off on his video. “I love you all.”
